It’s not common that Dinah Miller is left at a loss for words, but hearing that she’d won the Shouse Service Award did the job. The Jacki Shouse Service Award honors an HDI support staff member who consistently has excellent job performance, contributes to the organization in a way that improves efficiency, provides better services, enhances operations, and who is always ready to help their colleagues. This year, Dinah Miller took home the honors. “I didn’t know Jackie, but I know her legacy…What a wonderful person that she was,” Miller said. “I feel very honored.”
Miller is an Administrative Business Officer who oversees the financial operations of the Human Development Institute. She is very knowledgeable about policies and best practices for financial resource management and uses those skills support center operations. She also uses her skills to enhance projects such as the Driver Rehabilitation Program, which helps assess drivers whose ability to drive may have been affected by a recent disability.
According to the award committee chairperson, Christina Espinosa, “Miller’s above-and-beyond work made her the perfect choice this year”. “She is the kind of colleague who makes everything run more smoothly, no matter how busy things get,” Espinosa said. “She approaches every challenge with a calm, can-do attitude, and a cheerful smile. You never hear her complain. Instead, she brings positivity and professionalism that lift everyone around her.”
Miller received multiple nominations from colleagues, who described her as someone who “sparkles with everything she does, a dedicated, devoted leader who always goes above and beyond”.
“Her contributions go far beyond her job description. Dinah has given so much of her time, talent, and experience to strengthen relationships across HDI and campus,” Espinosa said. “She’s resourceful, reliable, and always ready to guide you to the right information—even when your request falls outside her scope. And let’s not forget her sense of humor—she’s funny, uplifting, and a joy to work with.”
And when asked to handle major logistics challenges, Miller still delivers. “Dinah’s leadership shines in big moments too,” Espinosa said. “Her oversight of HDI’s moves from Coldstream and Huguenard was nothing short of remarkable. These transitions were complex and demanding, yet Dinah handled them with patience, foresight, and grace.”
Congratulations to Dinah Miller!
