Healthier Generation Welcomes Karen McNeil-Miller to its Board of Directors

(PORTLAND, Ore.) December 16, 2019 – The Alliance for a Healthier Generation (Healthier Generation), today announced the election of Karen McNeil-Miller, president and CEO of The Colorado Health Foundation, to its board of directors. With this appointment, McNeil-Miller joins a cohort of leaders in health, medicine, business, education and entertainment who spearhead Healthier Generation’s mission to empower kids to develop lifelong healthy habits by ensuring the environments that surround them provide and promote good health.

“Healthier Generation welcomes Karen to our Board of Directors at this critical phase of our work,” said Kathy Higgins, chief executive officer at Healthier Generation. “As a seasoned executive, we look forward to learning from Karen’s experience in leading bold solutions to equitably improve the health, learning and development of our next generation.”

McNeil-Miller joins Healthier Generation’s Board with more than 35 years of experience serving in various roles driving social impact at the local, state and national levels. Driven by her belief that health is a basic human right and an unyielding commitment to a community-informed approach, her work as the president and CEO of The Colorado Health Foundation (since 2015) focuses on guiding the Foundation to determine the most impactful investment of human, financial and influence capital to support equitable health opportunities for Coloradans who have low income and have historically had less power and privilege.

“Karen’s wealth of experience and strategic vision is an incredible asset to Healthier Generation,” said Dave Josserand, chairperson of the Healthier Generation Board. “Karen’s background makes her a natural fit for the leadership team, and we look forward to channeling our collective expertise to guide Healthier Generation’s continued evolution as a champion for children’s health.”

Prior to joining The Colorado Health Foundation, McNeil-Miller served as the president of the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust. One of the largest private foundations in North Carolina, McNeil-Miller led the Trust’s impact work on a variety of issues, from rural health to healthcare access. Previously, she served for nearly two decades on the staff of the Center for Creative Leadership, an international leadership development and research nonprofit organization headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina. During her tenure there, Karen advanced efforts focused on individual and organizational leadership development, strategic thinking, diversity, executive coaching, and change management.

“Our ability – and responsibility – to support the health of this country’s youth is key in creating a more equitable, thriving society. Our work isn’t done until all families can say their children have everything they need to live healthy lives,” stated McNeil-Miller. “I am excited to join an organization that is at the forefront of this work and I look forward to working alongside my colleagues to ensure healthier futures for children across the country.”

McNeil-Miller, a former special education teacher and head of the Piedmont School in North Carolina, is active within the nonprofit, philanthropic and rural health communities. She currently serves on the boards of the Denver Academy, Campbell University and College Track, and is chair of the board for the Association of Black Foundation Executives. She holds a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro as well as a master’s degree in cross-categorical special education and a doctorate of education from Vanderbilt University. As a member of the board, McNeil-Miller will play a key role in driving Healthier Generation’s efforts to address the physical, social and emotional health of children.

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About the Alliance for a Healthier Generation 
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation believes every child deserves a healthy future. For over a decade, Healthier Generation has empowered kids to develop lifelong healthy habits by ensuring the environments that surround them provide and promote good health. Driven by our passion that all young people deserve a chance to live healthier lives, our work, in total, has reached up to 29 million kids across the country. To learn more and help make a difference, visit HealthierGeneration.org and join us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. 

About the Colorado Health Foundation 
The Colorado Health Foundation is bringing health in reach for all Coloradans by engaging closely with communities across the state through investing, policy advocacy, learning and capacity building. For more information, please visit www.coloradohealth.org.