Forging strong relationships and authentic connections in global diplomacy is often not easy, but when Jeff and Cheryl Flake spoke to students, staff, and alumni from the MPA program at the BYU Marriott School of Business, they shared why they feel fostering meaningful bonds in public service is worth the work.
“There is no substitute for diplomacy,” Jeff said, emphasizing the importance of building strong connections. “When all is said and done, we desperately still need people to enter public service; it is a noble profession.”
Before they began a career in diplomacy, the Flakes were students at Brigham Young University. Cheryl studied travel and tourism, and Jeff earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations and a master’s degree in political science. Since 2001, Cheryl has supported Jeff’s political career as he served as an Arizona representative in both the United States House of Representatives and the Senate and, from 2021 to 2024, as the US Ambassador to the Republic of Turkey.
As Jeff and Cheryl spoke about their experiences, the kind of diplomacy and public service they described wasn’t surface level: Instead, they focused on the value of deep-rooted connections.
For example, when Jeff became ambassador, he navigated a “very frosty” relationship between the US and Turkey. In an effort to connect with the Turkish people, Jeff decided to give a speech and discuss the similarities between his own beliefs as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the beliefs of the Islamic faith—the country’s predominant religion. “A video of this speech made the rounds in Turkey before we got there; it helped quite a bit in terms of acceptance by the population,” Jeff said.
In 2023, the Flakes worked to further connect with the Turkish people when a magnitude 7.8 earthquake hit the country and killed more than 55,000 people while destroying infrastructure. As ambassador, Jeff helped facilitate support from US search and rescue teams, and the Flakes also witnessed the Church provide resources and relief. “The Church has produced hospitals, schools, and homes and provided food, aid—whatever you can think of,” Cheryl said, describing that volunteers even built a soccer field for the local youth. “We played soccer with the kids, and it was fun just to see the smiles on their faces.”
Youngsoon Walker, an MPA student from Busan, South Korea, said she noted the Flakes’ integrated faith and national leadership. “My favorite part was hearing how Jeff was able to serve his country while being a faithful member of the Church and supporting local members abroad,” Walker said.
The Flakes’ focus on building connections extend not only to Turkey but also to political leaders in many countries. Jeff shared that while he worked to negotiate an agreement between Turkey and Sweden, he navigated a variety of concerns from and differences between Turkey, Sweden, other countries, and colleagues in Congress. “Jeff didn’t think of somebody as a horrible person if they disagreed on an issue,” Cheryl said, describing how she felt Jeff’s relationships with Senate and House leaders helped him facilitate the deal. “It was great to see diplomacy in full action.”
By the end of the presentation, MPA student and Montreal native Guillermo Lemus found a greater understanding of the role relationships have in diplomacy. “What I took away, more than anything, was that influence without empathy is hollow,” Lemus said. “Ambassador Flake’s career reminded me that diplomacy is not built on cleverness or credentials but on character—on whether people trust you enough to listen.”