Ethan J. Hughes

University of North Carolina, Kenan-Flagler Business School

“Optimistic, impact-driven, action-oriented data coach. Turning insights into outcomes, and teammates into leaders.”

Hometown: Cary, North Carolina

Fun Fact About Yourself: I’m a huge board game enthusiast, I’m happy to play any game – the more complex the better.

Undergraduate School and Major:

• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Biology
• Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Master of Public Health

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: WebMD Ignite Data and Analytics, Product Manager

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Kenan-Flagler’s MBA curriculum or programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you?
The Student Teams Achieving Results (STAR) program was a major factor in my decision. I’ve always loved problem-solving, and STAR offers the rare chance to apply what we’re learning in class to real-world challenges with real clients. It’s not just a case study; it’s an opportunity to create meaningful solutions and make a lasting impact in the community and region. That hands-on experience deepens our learning while reinforcing UNC Kenan-Flagler’s commitment to purposeful leadership and practical results.

What are some advantages you’ve seen in earning your MBA in Chapel Hill? UNC Kenan-Flagler’s collaborative culture is its greatest strength. The intentionally small class size means we truly get to know and work with everyone; it’s not just networking, it’s community-building by design. We’re grouped into “Legacies” that compete for the House Cup, which creates playful competition and drives us to push each other to grow together. That’s the Carolina Way: We work hard, play hard, and win together.

What sets UNC apart is how seriously it takes that idea of “together.” At Carolina, someone else’s success isn’t a threat; it’s a door opening for the rest of us. Many programs focus on prestige or competition while UNC Kenan-Flagler focuses on what matters most: the people. And long after graduation, it’s the strength of that community that will carry your career forward.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Kenan-Flagler? I’m especially excited about the MBA Blue Cup, which is a friendly but fierce competition between UNC Kenan-Flagler and Fuqua that keeps the classic UNC–Duke rivalry alive and well at the MBA level. Events range from flag football to baking to chess; it covers pretty much anything you can score points in. I’m not sure where I’ll contribute yet, but I’m happy to help the cause however I can. After all, few things bring people together quite like beating Duke.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: During my MPH, I had taken part in Harvard Law School’s Climate Solutions Living Lab, where student teams developed real-world proposals to solve climate challenges. My team focused on hurricane-resilient clean energy in Puerto Rico, following the devastation of Hurricane Maria.

Rather than rely on traditional funding mechanisms like carbon offsets, we proposed a community-owned energy cooperative for Utuado (an underserved and heavily impacted region). I helped design the technical solution and conducted the life cycle analysis to minimize unintended environmental impacts.

What makes this project so meaningful is that local leadership adopted it. Our proposal led to the creation of Puerto Rico’s first energy cooperative. Knowing that something we built in a classroom helped spark real, lasting change on the ground is something I’ll always be proud of.

Describe the best memory of your life so far? Why does that moment resonate with you?
It might be cliché, but it has to be my first date with my now-wife. She was curious about camping (something I’d grown up with), so I took her on a three-day backpacking trip through Linville Gorge in North Carolina. The Blue Ridge Mountains have unmatched beauty… though I’d argue my wife gives them a run for their money (granted, I’m biased).

The trip was a comedy of errors: we lost the trail, fell into a river, and had a very close encounter with a timber rattlesnake. I conveniently forgot to mention how afraid of snakes I am until after the fact. It was the textbook definition of “Type 2 fun.” We ended the adventure with a few unplanned nights in Asheville, and ten years later, we’re still laughing about it together.

That memory resonates because it’s a reminder that the best teams aren’t just the ones that avoid mistakes, but the ones that navigate the chaos together. It taught me how shared challenges can deepen trust and turn misadventure into meaning.

What do you hope to do after graduation (at this point)? After graduation, I hope to build a long-term career in strategy consulting. I’m drawn to the challenge of solving complex problems in ways that lead to real, lasting impact. There’s something deeply rewarding about digging into tough issues and helping a client move forward with clarity and confidence.

But more than anything, I just love being part of a team, especially one that pushes each other to exceed expectations. I’ve set my sights high, and I know that with the support of my UNC Kenan-Flagler community, we’ll all help one another reach our goals.

DON’T MISS: MEET NORTH CAROLINA KENAN-FLAGLER’S MBA CLASS OF 2027

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