Lisa Frey Miller

Illuminating minds since her teaching career began in the 1980’s, LISA MILLER continues to help others shine. She is this month’s BayouIcon.

Article by Laura W. Clark
Photography by Kelly Moore Clark

Lisa Frey Miller loves a stage.

A petite, precocious child, Lisa began dancing at 3. By 7, she aspired to be the next Shirley Temple. “Sometimes, I would just break out into song in a restaurant. All the world was mine, and I was there to entertain people, to make them happy.” 

She loved to sing and dance, but she enjoyed her audience’s reaction even more. Those early memories embody the joy she’s found spending much of her career in front of audiences. Whether she is talking to one person or addressing a full auditorium, she enthralls listeners with her smiling eyes, her easy laugh, her excited tone, and the deliberate way she chooses her words. And like a true performer, she convinces her audience to imagine another world, one without boundaries. 

Lisa earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Louisiana Monroe and began teaching at West Monroe Junior High School in 1985. During the next 12 years, she taught life sciences and language; she also advised the cheerleading and pep squads. “As a teacher, I was on stage every day. And what I enjoyed the most was helping children overcome their fears and gain more confidence.”

Her parents, Lory and Bettye Frey, raised Lisa and her older sister Lori to value education and mentorship. Lory, a decorated World War II Veteran, taught English at West Monroe High School, where he founded Louisiana’s first drill team. He and Bettye spent many weekends with the high school students, making school spirit signs and hosting student luncheons—using the fine China—in their home. 

“I grew up watching my parents devote their lives to young people. I remember my parents buying senior rings, prom dresses, and other items the children couldn’t afford,” she said. “Years later, when I cared for my parents in their 80s, we would frequent restaurants, and multiple times, former students would pay the bill. Those were powerful moments for me.” 

Lisa’s father also taught her the power of empathy. When one of her students drew in her science book, Lisa complimented the child’s artwork instead of admonishing her. “Papa encouraged me to always put myself in someone else’s shoes, especially before being critical. He and my mother taught me it’s important to love people as much as you can because you never know what they are going through.”

In 1991, she married Lyle Miller, her “best friend and biggest advocate,” and inherited three step-children, all of whom she considers blessings. Despite these gifts, she would eventually experience her own walk with private pain. During the next several years, she struggled with infertility and underwent several medical treatments, in hopes of carrying a child of her own. That was not to be. But as a former student once said, “God’s plan was for Mrs. Miller to make a difference in all of our lives.”

Lisa’s experience with infertility illuminated another lesson her parents taught her: accepting disappointment without letting the burden diminish her spirit. While Mother’s Day can be difficult for her, she finds comfort in the lives she has shaped: “I feel as though I have a thousand children,” she said. Infertility made her stronger, and it taught her not to dwell on what she could not control. “I learned to immerse myself in what brought me joy and happiness, which was often my work.”

She also finds joy in kind acts, even if they are not always easy. When a girlfriend gives birth, Lisa quickly arrives at the hospital with a new baby blanket and reassuring words for the sometimes-nervous mother. Once, upon learning of a new colleague’s cancer diagnosis, she immediately purchased ULM blankets, mugs, and sweatshirts and delivered them to her co-worker, who was also new to Louisiana, and sat with her.

Lisa earned her master’s degree in counseling from ULM in 1994. In 1997, West Monroe High School Principal Buddy Reed recruited her to become the guidance counselor at WMHS. While there, she found a new stage to perform on, revamping the school’s homecoming talent show program to involve as many students as possible. “Traditionally, WMHS was all about athletes and cheerleaders,” she said. “All of a sudden, students became cool if they had a great talent, such as an amazing voice. There was a respect for everyone on that stage, and children were comfortable in their skin.”

During the evening practices, Lisa often asked the high school students about their professional aspirations. She wanted to know of their plans after graduation, and how she could help achieve them. One such student was Chad Pilcher, who is now a partner at the Balch & Bingham law firm in Birmingham, Alabama. Chad still remembers how Lisa made him feel—that she always had time for him and that he was important. 

“While her official title at WMHS was guidance counselor, she was the heartbeat of our school,” Chad said. “Mrs. Miller went out of her way to invest in my life, and I am a better person, husband, and parent because of her. She pushed me to excel in the classroom and gave me a keen understanding of what would be required to succeed in my profession.”

Lisa’s steadfast belief that every child should feel special was evident in another one of her WMHS programs, “Project Prom.” “That event was about creating a night for every single student, a night that would be a memory of a lifetime,” Lisa said. “We organized beautiful flowers, games, and music. I wanted every child to feel beautiful and loved, at least for that one night.”

She earned a teacher certification in administration and supervision from ULM in 2002. A few months later, she found a bigger stage for her talents. Her palpable connection to her students and her visionary thinking caught the attention of Dr. James E. Cofer and his wife, Deborah, ULM’s newly-appointed president and first lady. The Cofers attended the Scholar’s Banquet, watched Lisa on stage, and were struck by Lisa’s “command of the audience.”

During that time, ULM faced several challenges: no formal student recruitment strategy, a deteriorating physical infrastructure, and an eight-year enrollment decline, according to Cofer. Lisa had always felt a strong connection to her alma mater; her grandfather helped establish the university’s College of Pharmacy. She accepted the Director of Recruitment and Admissions position and quickly created a strategy. Lisa activated the “Road Warriors,” a group comprised of deans, new recruiters, and several administrators who introduced high school students to ULM, a university that was undergoing a revolutionary transformation.

Lisa said, “We were telling the story of ULM, a university that has always had incredibly strong academic programs, but people didn’t know that. There were grand plans for ULM—new housing, new food facilities, and a complete physical transformation of our campus. We were selling a dream, based on faith. The excitement was contagious, and people wanted to be a part of that.” 

Through Lisa’s leadership, ULM redesigned “Browse on the Bayou,” a campus visit day for high school students, and summer orientation programs for new university students. She hired additional recruiters and worked to retain students. The plan worked: in 2002, ULM’s enrollment increased. Lisa was recognized for her efforts by Noel-Levitz, a national higher education enrollment management consulting firm. Cofer said, “Lisa made a leap of faith for the new administrative team at ULM and for that, we will, and the institution should be, forever grateful.”

Lisa was promoted to assistant vice president of enrollment management in 2007. She continued to mentor her staff and students so they could discover their own stages. Kaitlin Neal Arnett, who came to ULM from Pineville, was so moved by Lisa’s opening welcome to the university’s freshmen class that she decided to work for her during the next several summers. She excelled under Lisa’s mentorship and became ULM’s Student Government Association President. “I have never met someone so driven and so selfless of their time and energy,” Kaitlin said. “She doesn’t just captivate audiences, she captivates hearts.”

Yet another student, Seth Hall, flourished while working for Lisa. Seth was quiet and reserved when he began his college career, but Lisa fostered an environment in which students and staff were encouraged to leave the familiar and embrace bravery. He began working as a university recruiter, touting ULM’s accomplishments from high school stages all over the region. “Outside of a couple family members, Ms. Lisa has been the most influential person in my life. She treated me like a son and taught me many lessons about being an impactful employee, friend, mentor, colleague, and manager, especially in the realm of higher education.” Today, Seth is the Executive Director of Enrollment Management at Delta Community College.

Alberta Brown Green, now the founder and CEO of ABG Professional Development Solutions, first met Lisa while working as an administrative assistant in ULM’s Career Center. Alberta, who eventually became the career center’s director, instantly discovered a mentor in Lisa. “She believed in me. What I love the most about Lisa is how personable, kind, and spirited she is.” 

In 2015, Lisa assumed a new role as the university’s Chief Communications Officer, a role in which she has served as ULM’s official spokesperson, provided leadership for the university’s major rebrand, and guided ULM’s marketing team. Dr. Julia Letlow, ULM’s Executive Director of External Affairs and Strategic Communications, began working for Lisa four years ago, although she has admired her for much longer. Julia will always remember entering a room full of prospective students and parents and watching Lisa  speak. “She intentionally instilled in each person a passion for ULM, and it worked every single time she spoke. She is the greatest orator I have ever witnessed,” she said. “Lisa exudes a light that draws people to her. She is a true visionary and has led initiatives at ULM that nobody thought were even possible.”

ULM President Dr. Nick J. Bruno has known Lisa since he arrived at ULM as the Vice President for Business Affairs in 2002. “Lisa had at that time, and continues to have, a passion for ULM and dedication and love for our students. As Director of Admissions and Recruitment, she brought an energy which translated to the recruiters and PREP staff that made prospective new students feel at home. She always conveyed ULM’s message of excellence, sense of place, and a caring culture that is ULM. She possesses great creativity and when she tackles a project, she assures it will be the best it can be.”

Her creativity and passion for new ideas continue to spark new university programs that benefit the community. When Kristin Chandler, assistant director for ULM Career Connections, approached Lisa about developing a women’s symposium in 2016, Lisa immediately championed Kristin’s idea. It was Lisa’s encouragement and support that gave her the confidence to move forward with the enormous initiative. “I knew that with Lisa by my side, we could conquer the challenge,” Kristin said. 

When a community or university need arises, a commonly heard phrase is, “Ask Lisa Miller.” In addition to her significant contributions to local non-profit organizations, Lisa is known for her ability to connect people with resources. Anne Lockhart, who directed university fundraising efforts before retiring in 2017, worked alongside Lisa for 15 years. She refers to Lisa as a “diminutive dynamo.” “Lisa defines work ethic, defies pessimism, and dedicates herself to each relationship she builds and every role she undertakes.”

While her life’s work is important to her, Lisa has a myriad of interests. In fact, she is a dichotomy of sorts, much like the characters on the stage of Netflix’s hit series, “Grace and Frankie.” She identifies with both Jane Fonda’s character, Grace, a driven business woman, and Lily Tomlin’s character, Frankie, a yoga-practicing hippie who derives energy from the beach and the ocean. Lisa, an avid reader, “loves alone time,” whether on her bike, her blue Vespa, or her paddleboard on the bayou outside of her north Monroe home. She became a certified yoga instructor in 2015. “Life is about balance, and when I’m on my mat, I meditate on that. We worry so much, but we need to remember that in a matter of time, we will forget these temporary anxieties. After all, what’s most important is showing up for other people.”

Lisa definitely showed up for her parents. A smaller, yet rewarding stage existed in their home. Both as a child and as an adult, her parents would “light up,” as soon as she arrived. After Lisa’s mother passed in 2012, her father’s health soon deteriorated, and he moved into Lisa’s home before leaving this earth one year later. One afternoon, Lisa overheard her father talking to a friend in his bedroom. He made a remark that evokes emotion in Lisa each time she recalls it: “I heard Papa say, ‘She’s just my angel on earth’.”

While the later years with her parents were filled with medical trips, Lisa cherishes all of it. “The most rewarding thing I have ever done is to take care of my parents. I have been blessed with such giving parents that it was an honor to give back to them,” she said. “It’s very hard for parents to show vulnerability, and while it is frightening for children to see it, that role reversal forces you to evolve and see beyond yourself.”

In May, Lisa will retire from ULM, but she is not concerned about her next act. As she does every day, she will read her daily morning devotions while admiring the bayou rolling past her window. “I had planned to be a teacher and a mom, but life took me on another journey. If your intent is pure, to help other people, everything else happens as it should. I think beauty exists in life’s surprises.”