MS. NEW MEXICO SENIOR AMERICA 2015,
DEBBI MILLER

A native of Albuquerque, our new Ms. New Mexico has become a citizen of the whole USA, and even the world: she has lived in 10 states and 6 foreign countries. She is a singer, a scholar, a mother, and an award-winning volunteer.
Chosen as a Presidential Scholar and a National Merit Scholar, and concertmistress of her high school All-State Orchestra, Debbi attended Birmingham-Southern College on a full tuition scholarship, where she earned B.M. and B.A. degrees summa cum laude. She was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, was president of Mortar Board, and was chosen for Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities. She earned a M.M. in vocal performance from the University of Texas, where she was president of Sigma Alpha Iota. She won the San Francisco Regional Opera Auditions and attended the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara.

A natural performer, Debbi has sung 16 leading opera roles throughout the U.S. and the world, including a world premiere, but she is equally comfortable singing Broadway, lieder, sacred/oratorio, and women's barbershop. She is an active recitalist, and a frequent performer at Senior Centers and senior events. She is a devoted Member-at-Large of Sweet Adelines International. The U.S. Information Service chose her for a series of goodwill concerts in the Caribbean, and she has won prizes in 7 international singing competitions. She also plays violin, and has recently picked up the baton to conduct the pit bands for the musicals "Seussical" and "Godspell." She professionally recorded an album called "Songs for My Father" in honor of her father's 90th birthday.

Debbi has been a dedicated community volunteer for many years, in a wide variety of organizations, including Boy Scouts of America, Kings Park West Civic Association, TJHSST Band Boosters, Little League, Church of the Good Shepherd, Neptunes Swim Team, and Fairfax County Public Schools. She has begun a partnership with BuildOn.org, an international charity helping to transform the lives of inner city youth in the USA by having them build schools in underdeveloped countries. She serves the AAFSW (Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide), as both Membership Chair and Mentoring Chair, and loves to read aloud to children at Reading Rug.

Debbi has been married to Ambassador Terry Miller for 41 years, and they have three magnificent children, all professional musicians - a singer/actor, a trumpeter, and a flute/piccolo player, all three of whom also play piano. When not making music, she loves to work in the garden, read books, practice yoga, go to Jazzercise or Zumba, and do puzzles. Debbi adores being a senior spokesperson, and cannot wait to see what is around the next corner!