The Lowry Foundation Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Deana Miller will take over as the organization’s new Executive Director on September 19.
Miller’s background offers The Lowry Foundation a diverse set of skills that will help further advance the organization’s mission and celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2023. When Miller assumes the position, she will support the Board of Directors in creating a series of community activities in 2023 to celebrate The Lowry Foundation’s extraordinary legacy. “The stars aligned when we found Deana. She brings all of the skills and experience The Lowry Foundation needs to build our value proposition with the Lowry community,” says Barbara Volpe, Chair of the Board of Directors.
With Miller’s help, the Board will also bring together community groups serving Lowry to cross-pollinate ideas, uncover points of collaboration, support mutually beneficial efforts, and create opportunities for innovation. “Having lived in Lowry for four years, I am honored to be chosen to dig deep into the community and support all the organizations that serve our area and region,” says Deana Miller.
ABOUT DEANA MILLER, MPA
The Lowry Foundation will enjoy Miller’s established ties in Lowry, where she has lived with her family of five since 2017. Originally from Boulder, she moved to Denver in 1992 to attend the University of Colorado Denver, where she received a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts in 1996 and a Master’s in Public Administration in 2009.
Miller offers The Lowry Foundation and the community it serves a diverse set of skills, from business administration to community building and event planning to public art and streetscape project management. Her background includes working for over 20 years in the Creative Industries, where she served in leadership positions in arts-centric businesses, non-profits, and public sector agencies. With a long history of producing creative solutions for communities across Colorado, she has a passion for bringing people together and facilitating decision-making to strengthen and vitalize communities.
Before being selected to lead The Lowry Foundation, Miller was the Executive Director of the Superior Chamber of Commerce. During her time with the Chamber, she ensured the smooth operations of large community events, implemented new programs, and collaborated with regional partners to secure additional funding for the Chamber. In the aftermath of the Marshall Fire that destroyed nearly 400 homes in Superior and closed every business for a lengthy period, Miller was instrumental in the first phase of the relief efforts—organizing $35,000 in sponsorships that supplied 3,500 free meals to displaced community members, reaching out to area businesses to see what support was needed, bringing attention to local businesses’ needs through the media, securing a space for a free Business Resource Center, facilitating the start of an art therapy program for survivors, and educating both businesses and residents on the funding available to assist them in getting back on their feet. The effort was, no doubt, daunting, but she handled the adversity with grace, poise, and a singular focus on helping in any way she could.
Previously, Miller served as the Cultural Arts and Events Supervisor for the Town of Superior. She worked to vitalize and beautify the Town through special events and the arts. In 2019, she led the creation of the state’s first-ever Creative Placemaking Master Plan, created a one-mile walking and biking path lined with public art, and produced ten community festivals that brought nearly 15,000 people together.
Miller has been connected to the Lowry neighborhood since 2015 when she was a Principal Partner at Art Management and Planning Associates (AMPA) for eight years. This art services company continues to help The Lowry Foundation take care of the many public artworks the neighborhood enjoys. While at AMPA, she has worked in nearly 20 communities around Colorado.
Miller brings experience that will be helpful in the growth of Lowry. She served on Downtown Colorado, Inc. technical advisory teams, helping shape the downtown core of four communities along the I-25 corridor. For eight years, she worked for the City of Aurora, developing creative solutions for their Original Downtown arts district, managing the award-winning Art in Public Places program, and she worked with two dozen developers on development requirements. Miller also worked at the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. She served 20 communities statewide to grow jobs, attract and retain businesses, and increase access to capital through creative districts. Early in her career, Miller was the business, fundraising, and membership manager at the Museum of Contemporary Art/Denver.
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