MinerAlert
MinerAlert
June 2026
By Alexandra Sanchez, ’17
Sometimes the road you think you are embarking on isn’t what you expect, but it is exactly where you are supposed to be. For Michele Miller, growing up in El Paso, attending ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ events and staying close to family made ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ a clear choice. Although her degree is different from what she does today, ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ helped shape her professional path in ways she didn’t expect.
“My roots were here,” Miller said. “I’ve always been a ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ fan.”
Miller earned her bachelor of business administration in computer information systems in 2000. At first, however, computer information systems was not part of the plan.
Coming from a family of accountants, both of her parents were CPAs, Miller initially thought she would follow a similar path. However, after taking a cost accounting course, she quickly realized it was not for her.
“I thought, ‘Yeah, this is not going to happen,’” she said with a laugh.
Instead, she found herself drawn to the problem-solving and creativity of computer information systems. She credits several professors, including Dr. Guthrie and Robin Grambling, for helping shape her time at ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ.
“They really changed my life and made me love the field,” Miller said.
Still, as many alumni know, life sometimes has a way of rewriting plans. Shortly after graduation, Miller’s father was diagnosed with cancer. Her parents owned Twin Plant News Magazine, a publication focused on NAFTA and the maquiladora industry. Miller stepped in to help run the family business while her mother cared for him. Because she had already worked there throughout high school and college, the transition was natural.
What began as a family responsibility became a defining chapter of her professional life. In 2002, when her mother retired, Miller became president of the company. For nearly a decade, she led the publication through a rapidly changing border economy.
“It wasn’t what I planned to do,” she said. “But I wanted to make my parents proud and do the best I could.”
When violence in Ciudad Juárez intensified and maquiladoras began shutting down, Miller made the difficult decision to close the magazine in 2011. It marked the end of a 25-year family legacy.
“It was really hard,” she said. “It was part of my life that was going away.”
That same year, while participating in Leadership El Paso, Miller met two attorneys from Kemp Smith. When they learned she was closing the magazine, they encouraged her to apply for a role at the firm.
Fifteen years later, Miller now serves as marketing director for Kemp Smith’s El Paso, Austin and Las Cruces offices.
Her work includes business development, public relations, branding, communications, client events and community engagement. But one of the parts she values most is helping attorneys connect with the community by placing them on nonprofit boards that align with their interests.
“It’s something I’m very proud of,” she said. “I love the level of commitment we give back to the community.”
One of her most memorable projects came during the firm’s 150th anniversary in 2016. Instead of focusing only on celebration, Kemp Smith dedicated each month of the year to supporting a different local nonprofit.
For Miller, it reflected what she values most — meaningful relationships, community service and telling stories that matter.
Looking back, she says ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ prepared her in ways that went far beyond the classroom. Balancing full-time work while earning her degree taught her resilience, discipline and adaptability. Miller has received awards recognizing her work and impact in the community, including the Star on the Mountain Award from former Mayor Oscar Leeser in 2023 and Woman of Impact from El Paso Inc. in 2025.
Her advice to current students and fellow young alumni is simple: get involved.
“Take advantage of every opportunity you can,” Miller said. “Community involvement matters.”
Miller may not have followed the career path she first imagined as a student at ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ, but her journey is a reminder familiar to many Miner alumni: sometimes the unexpected path leads exactly where you are meant to be.