A Fond Farewell to Program VP Karla Miller

Karla is retiring after 23 years of Foundation service—including a decade leading our program team.

As Karla sends her final emails and turns off her office light one last time on April 30, we wish her well. We are beyond grateful for her leadership and her friendship.

President and CEO Kevin Walker says, “Karla’s colorful personality, compassion, and dedication to her colleagues, our grantees, and the Foundation’s mission made her an outstanding member of our team. Even though she’s retiring, the impact of her contributions will remain in our hearts and in our work.”

Board member and program committee chair Elisabeth Buck agrees, “Karla’s leadership and guidance was instrumental when the Foundation revamped its mission and values several years ago. She’s such a good listener and collaborator. You can hear her voice in the mission.”

Putting grantees at the center of discussions.

“Karla showed me how to listen and be in the moment with grantees, leaning into their needs and supporting them rather making judgments and trying to solve everything,” shares Buck. “And she treats everyone, from the CEO to the person answering phones, with respect. It’s clear her own personal value system aligns with the Foundation’s work.

“She’s a unique, fun person whose quirkiness makes her very approachable. She’ll be hard to replace, but she’s earned a wonderful retirement, hopefully traveling a lot with her husband. I’ll miss her.”

A consistent focus on community and systems change.

Early on at the Foundation, Karla made it her goal to try and open doors for changemakers so systems would give local communities what they need. These concepts show up in our current funding approach and in impact investing, which complements our grantmaking—and they are embedded within the mindset of the Foundation.

“I have had the pleasure of working with Karla as a board director for over nine years,” says Michelle Osborne (Hum me hum me sh/Turtle Dove), a past board member. “Her professional expertise, meets zany sense of fun, has been a highly successful formula in exceeding NWAF’s social investing and grantmaking reach.

“I will miss the good times we’ve had at meetings, board retreats and what have you. I hope retirement affords her a well-earned rest, plus new adventures.”

Making time to connect and listen to others.

Listening and learning from grantees helped to shape the Foundation’s justice-focused funding approach. Karla made it a point to personally know each grantee in our priority communities: Native Americans, communities of color, immigrants, and refugees, and people in rural areas.

“She always was on top of things and knew what was going on with each organization,” says past board member Maria Valandra (Cree), vice president of community partnerships for Clearwater Credit Union. “I was impressed with her knowledge of all the organizations.

“Karla is just so personable. She’s easy to get along with and to talk to, and she’s receptive to new ideas. When I was chair of the program committee, I suggested we create a subcommittee for a project I felt needed extra attention. Karla was very open to the idea and willing to meet, even though it meant extra time out of her schedule.

“I’m excited for her—a new chapter in her life. I wish her well and hope that we cross paths again somewhere, somehow.”

Wishing Karla a joyful and fulfilling retirement!

As Karla heads out to enjoy her retirement, look for her in one of her signature “funky fiber” hats if you happen to be riding a riverboat on the Mississippi, taking the Borealis train to Chicago, or visiting her home state of Wisconsin.