Hannah Kimak

I attribute much of my success to being part of an organization that has truly invested in my growth. UNC has been my professional home for the past 18 years, providing opportunities to lead, leverage my strengths, and mentor and coach others—experiences that continue to inspire and motivate me.

I also credit my entrepreneurial spirit to my parents. As entrepreneurs themselves, they instilled that mindset in me from an early age. While I chose a different path because of my passion for serving people, that entrepreneurial foundation has played a significant role in shaping my approach to leadership and innovation.

The combination of serving others, leading with purpose, and having the support and opportunities to grow has been instrumental in my success.

The best career advice I’ve ever received is to never put yourself in a box and to remember that the sky is the limit. Throughout my career, I’ve learned to embrace being uncomfortable because growth happens outside of your comfort zone.

That mindset has continually pushed me to pursue new opportunities, including several side ventures. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that you don’t have to have everything figured out at a young age. Life is a journey of discovery, and it’s never too late to explore new interests or pursue new goals.

Having the opportunity to build and grow ventures alongside my career has allowed me to uncover strengths and talents I didn’t even realize I had. By staying open to new experiences and challenges, I’ve been able to continue learning, growing, and expanding what I believe is possible.

Don't be afraid to chase after your dreams wholeheartedly. You don’t have to have it all figured out when you’re young—there’s always room to explore new passions, embrace new challenges, and reinvent yourself along the way.

I knew early on that I wanted to be a leader, so in college I remained very focused on school, cheered at East Carolina University and had a part-time job at the med school. All of these things allowed me to build a foundation that would help leverage my leadership journey. For me, it was really just being that go-getter and wanting to pursue the dreams that genuinely fueled me.

Some of the biggest challenges in healthcare are ever-changing industry regulations. Things are consistently evolving, and you must be able to pivot, while stewarding available resources. We're navigating through a lot of new trials, yet also remaining forward-thinking as we embrace advanced technologies and improved standards of care.

The values that matter most to me are authenticity, integrity, and staying grounded in who you are. I believe in remaining true to your morals and leading in a way that reflects your values every day.

Service is at the heart of everything I do. It’s a foundational part of leadership and something I strive to embody daily with my team at UNC. That same commitment to serving others extends into my entrepreneurial journey with CLUTCHCO, where we are proud to give back to our community by supporting mothers battling cancer through a portion of our proceeds.

Whether in my professional career or through entrepreneurship, my purpose always comes back to serving others and making a positive impact. Equally important is maintaining balance and prioritizing self-care. While much of life is centered around our children right now, I've learned that taking care of ourselves allows us to show up more fully for the people and causes we care about most.