The 2023 Rising Stars of the Profession: Veronica Miller

Veronica Miller is a seasoned strategic and crisis communications professional with 10 years of experience in government communications and operations. As a project manager at Prometheus Federal Services (PFS), she oversees the production, dissemination, and evaluation of highly-profile national campaigns.

Ms. Miller is a "pinch hitter," frequently utilized by clients for her ability to solve complex client challenges. As a trusted advisor with dependable strengths in project management, strategic and crisis communications, process improvement, and quality assurance, Ms. Miller successfully supports mission-critical campaigns across government agencies and their affiliated program offices.

Before joining PFS, Ms. Miller worked for the Michigan Department of Treasury and the United States Senate. She currently lives in Alexandria, VA with her husband Josh and their daughter Mia.

What would you say has been the biggest factor in your success so far?

Curiosity and the desire to learn and do good work have been the biggest factors in my success. Seek out information so that you can start by knowing a little bit about a lot of things. If you can speak with authority on a little, you can ask to follow up and once you have learned the rest. To get to that point, you have to be the person in the room raising your hand and asking questions. Schedule time with your leaders to ask questions. Do your homework and research things that are brought up in meetings that you do not understand. When you receive a request you aren't sure you can complete well, have the courage to turn to your leadership and ask for help so that you can learn how to do something the right way. Don't be afraid to ask questions!

What do you enjoy most about your career in the consulting industry?

Consulting often presents you with a problem, demands you to quickly become an expert on any number of topics, and requires you to find a solution — often using limited resources. I enjoy the process of problem-solving and the critical thinking, creativity and perseverance it requires — as well as the reward when you arrive at a solution. You are always learning and never, ever bored. Applying those skills to support America's Veterans makes the journey meaningful and pushes you to put in as many hours as needed to get the job done.

What is your proudest achievement to date?

During the COVID-19 Omicron surge in December 2021, we worked tirelessly to put together a crisis communications toolkit urging Veterans to get their COVID-19 booster before visiting family over the holidays. The strategic communications language was difficult to draft, as by this point in the pandemic everyone was exhausted from talking about COVID-19 and vaccinations. We created a compelling campaign, put in overtime to quickly turn the products, and sent it to the White House for review. It came back with no edits, no revisions and a big thumbs-up. That was a great moment!

What's the best advice you've ever been given?

Give people the benefit of the doubt and do not take things personally. If you spend a few hours a week questioning the motives of your team or the phrasing of a statement that could be interpreted negatively, you are wasting valuable time. Let it go until there is a large enough trend that it warrants intervention. It would be fantastic if everyone person we encountered possessed excellent emotional intelligence and communication skills, but that will never be the case. Accept that it is rare someone is intentionally trying to personally offend you, recognize there may be a teachable moment about effective communication in the future if it continues, and move on with your day.

What does this recognition mean to you?

It is an honor to be recognized. Our team has worked tirelessly to develop and execute effective strategies to improve the delivery of public services and ensure all stakeholders are reached. This recognition is a validation of that work and encouragement to continue pursuing excellence.