Every session at the 2025 Waves of Change (WOC) STEM Conference supports participants in learning, leading, and advancing in STEM, covering topics from AI innovations to career development strategies.
Aknesha Miller delivered the keynote address during the Friday session at the 2025 Waves of Change (WOC) STEM Conference.
During her presentation, Miller acknowledged the many people she had met at WOC STEM Conferences since she graduated in 2000.
One of them is Dr. Donna Bell, the 2018 WOC Technologist of the Year Award winner and former executive at Ford Motor Company.
Miller holds a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from Morgan State University and a master's degree in systems engineering from Johns Hopkins University. She recently served as a senior vice president for operations and strategy at an infrastructure and technical services firm.
Drawing from her broad experience in aerospace, defense, intelligence, oil & gas, international, and commercial sectors, including multinational corporations, she shared valuable tips and guidance.
Miller has been a driver of change, leading a cultural transformation impacting 20,000 global employees, generating approximately $3 billion in sales, and achieving a 90% success rate as a Capture/Proposal Manager. She exceeded financial goals for a $500 million program with 1,000 matrixed staff, rescued a $492 million total contract value federal IT program from failure within three months, and managed over 20 mergers and acquisitions activities, including acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and wholly owned subsidiaries.
While businesses focus on return on investment, people should look at return on human capital, Miller said.
Her community involvement includes organizations such as the Down Syndrome Association of Brevard, Space Coast Discovery, The Women's Center, and The Cloud Family Foundation. Additionally, she has taught as an adjunct professor of systems engineering at Morgan State University, her alma mater.
"Write down your accomplishments as you go throughout the year," Miller advised. "Then, assess a value. Put a numerical value on it. What's it worth? If you're part of a $450M winning proposal team, part of the engineering or production, or design, or a research project, how much was it worth? Add value to your accomplishments and results and document them," Miller said.
Take a listen: