SHIRA MILLER, CEO
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Back in third grade, when teacher Adeline Rainey paddled Shira Miller for talking too much during class, she was trying to make a point. Luckily, the spunky eight-year-old ignored it and kept right on gabbing, albeit outside of that instructor’s earshot. Now, many moons later, Shira fuses that passion for communication and her personal interest in wellness to motivate and inspire people, and also promote meaningful companies and organizations. The pop culture addict is a long-time weight loss success story, healthy lifestyle advocate and blogger, writer, speaker and public relations expert.
The PR side of things came first. After serving as the Weekend Bureau Coordinator (a.k.a. “peon”) for the NBC News Southeastern Bureau, Shira thrived in the corporate PR world. Her career included stints as Director of Corporate Communications for the American Retail Group; Director of Marketing Communications for billion-dollar food and nutrition company Morrison Management Specialists; Public Relations Manager for The Shepherd Center; and Community Relations Manager for Days Inns of America. In January 2001, she started Shira Miller Communications, a boutique consumer PR firm that helps clients engage consumers, generate publicity, develop social responsibility initiatives and solve problems. Much to her mother’s delight, Shira has been recognized with more than 35 national and regional awards throughout her career, including the 2007 National Bronze Anvil Award for Consumer Media Relations from the Public Relations Society of America.
Her interest in healthy living started in 1992, when Shira lost 50 pounds through exercise, eating better and eliminating Oreo cookies as her primary food group. Along the way, she survived ups and downs like divorce, career changes, parental death, economic nosedives and the resurgence of shoulder pads, which didn’t do anyone a favor. That’s when Shira learned that no matter what challenges arise, people can overcome them with a positive attitude, determination and sense of humor. She started The Lighter Perspective blog in 2009 and is currently working on Whoops! I Gained It Again, a funny book about life after weight loss. In 2010, Shira merged The Lighter Perspective and her PR firm into a full-service, lifestyle catalyst brand that offers communication consulting, individual coaching, speaking and educational content.
The Emory University graduate’s story and opinions as a woman who is consciously creating her life have been recognized in Shape, Health, First for Women, Quick & Simple, the Atlanta Journal - Constitution, Emory Magazine, bestselling business book The Power of Nice, and Trust Your Gut: How the Power of Intuition Can Grow Your Business. In 2008, she and her three best friends were profiled by the Atlanta Journal - Constitution as the city’s own version of the famous Sex and the City foursome despite the lack of four inch heels in her closet. Her audition video for Oprah’s 2010 Win Your OWN Show contest landed 20,000 votes and squeaked into the top five percent of submissions. She currently lives in Atlanta with her super cool boyfriend.
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