Among the many great meetings with cross-sector leaders and mission-driven organizations, one part of the Luther Hodges Scholars Explorations trip to Washington, D.C. stood out: lunch at the dining room table with Ned and Diane Powell. Members of the UNC KFBS alumni community and friends of the Luther Hodges Scholars Program, Ned and Diane graciously hosted us for lunch at their home in the heart of D.C. Our time with them included thought provoking conversations that made a profound impact on our personal and professional development.

Ned has had a storied career in a variety of roles including serving as the Deputy Secretary of Veteran Affairs under President Clinton and as the President and CEO of the United Service Organizations (USO). Diane has also made a significant professional and personal impact, working as an executive at NBC, managing a publishing company, and working within investment banking. They both now serve on multiple nonprofit and foundation boards. The Powells are true examples of cross-sector leaders!

Our time with Ned and Diane included them sharing life lessons that they had learned over the years along with what guided and motivated them to make an impact. Three major insights that guided our conversation and provided scholars in attendance some valuable takeaways:

• Identify your values and priorities. Success is defined by values. It’s crucial to know what you value in order to find your purpose and fulfillment in life. A lifelong supporter of veterans and having had a family history of serving in the Armed Forces, Ned found that to be one of his core values. Ned has done incredible work supporting military veterans within both the USO and Department of Veteran Affairs, after identifying that it lined up with his core values. Diane, too, has found passion in applying her expertise in finance to foundation work, again highlighting the importance of establishing your values and making them a priority.

• Stay curious, seek experiences, and gain perspectives. One of their stories I found most intriguing was how much they valued previous experiences volunteering as poll workers, both to serve the community and learn more about the local election process. Acting on curiosity and seeking out new perspectives has been a life-long trait of Ned and Diane, leading to diverse professional and personal experiences. Their curiosity has also helped them develop as better advocates as they have gained hands-on experiences with causes and initiatives that they value.

• Be intentional. Early on in our conversation, Ned asked for us to go around and answer, “What are your five year goals?” I, for one, was stuck. His purpose for this question is to reinforce that goal-setting creates intentionality. Once you have a goal, you can intentionally take steps to get there. It was this philosophy that Ned used throughout his career and as he navigated his values to find success.

The insights shared and the stories told during our lunch with the Powells were inspiring and incredibly valuable as we seek to become impactful cross-sector leaders in our own careers. Thank you so much to Ned and Diane for graciously hosting us. Thanks also to the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise and Luther Hodges Scholars for providing undergraduate students opportunities like this to learn and grow from accomplished leaders

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