James Powell Named 2024 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year

Valdosta State University recently honored James Powell of Maryland with its 2024 Harley Landale Jr. College of Business Administration Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Healthcare Administration in 2017. He is pictured with Dr. Richard A. Carvajal, president of VSU, and Corinna Robinson, president of the VSU Alumni Association.

VALDOSTA — Valdosta State University recently honored James Powell of Maryland with its 2024 Harley Landale Jr. College of Business Administration Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award.

“This award serves as a reminder of the impact that education had on me and my career,” he said. “The recognition encourages me to mentor others and share my experiences. I strongly encourage students to focus on their academics and assure that they truly learn the material that they are studying. Utilize the time in school to develop skills to help you become successful in your field of study.”  

Powell earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Healthcare Administration in 2017.

VSU: What are some highlights from your Valdosta State experience?  

POWELL: I originally attended VSU to play on the basketball team and was able to play my first year. It was an honor and a privilege to be able to play college basketball, but I realized I was not going to play professionally and needed to focus on my career in health administration. I started a student organization for students in healthcare administration. The organization helped many students receive internships in the community and gain exposure to the hospital in town. Each month we would take members to board meetings at South Georgia Medical Center, where they got to meet the senior leadership team and watch governance of a large organization. I spent three years working under the chief executive officer and chief operating officer of the organization. I was fortunate to win the President of the Year Award for both my junior and senior year at VSU. The decision to stop playing basketball was a leap of faith that really paid off in the long run.  

VSU: Tell us how you currently spend your time.

POWELL:  My wife and I currently live in Maryland right outside of Washington, D.C. I serve as the executive director of the mid-Atlantic states of Kaiser Permanente, where I oversee major clinical and nonclinical operations in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. We are extremely excited to move back to a major city on the East Coast. We have a sweet dog named Nina that refuses to be separated from either one of us. We love to explore and spend time with our families.  

VSU: What advice do you have for current Valdosta State students? What do you wish someone had told you when you were in college?  

POWELL: “Hard work beats talent when talent chooses not to work hard enough.” That is my favorite quote as a former college athlete. Use that and apply it in your studies. I would recommend that students work hard now so you can play later. While in school be sure to do what you can to work in your field of study, whether that be an internship or volunteering. My first job while at VSU started under Heath Evans, who served as the chief operating officer of South Georgia Health System, and I did it for free. He and I still joke about it until this day because I eventually proved myself to become a paid intern, where he paid me $9.25 an hour. When I look back at the opportunity, he and the senior leadership team gave me, it paved the way for me to eventually become a hospital chief operating officer and to obtain the regional senior leadership role I serve in now with Kaiser Permanente.