Maria Miller P’24 will become Columbus Academy’s assistant head of school for development on February 26, 2025, announced Head of School Melissa Soderberg today. Maria is already a part of the Academy community, as her daughter Ceci attended from grades 4-12 before matriculating to Columbia University this past fall.

“The moment Maria came to campus her energy, intelligence, love of the school and dogged fundraising skills were evident,” stated Melissa. “We are so excited to have her lead our industrious team, rooted in the relationships of the community, and increase excitement about supporting this wonderful school. We knew when Erich Hunker ’81 left last spring we would need to bring someone to campus with a similar love and commitment to Columbus Academy. We have found that, and more, in Maria.”

Since October 2021, Maria has managed a frontline fundraising team as associate vice president for leadership and planned giving at Oberlin College and Conservatory. Her 12 years of leading development teams also includes serving as executive director for planned giving at Brandeis University, director of development for planned giving at The Ohio State University Foundation’s Office of Estate and Gift Planning and director of development for planned giving/major gifts officer at The Ohio State University James Cancer Hospital.

“I’m absolutely delighted about the opportunity to be returning to Academy’s amazing community and its beautiful campus,” Maria said, “and am looking forward to building new relationships while seeing – and helping – our school to grow.”

After earning a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Canisius College in New York and a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Public Policy as a Fulbright Fellow at Victoria University in New Zealand, Maria went on to receive a Master of Arts in Political Science from the University of California at Berkeley and her J.D. degree from Ohio State’s Moritz College of Law. Her early professional career was as a law clerk and associate attorney at Slowik & Robinson LLC, an immigration and employment law firm here in Central Ohio.

Maria resides in Worthington with her husband Paul, an Ohio State professor whose scholarship focuses primarily on two areas: German-Jewish culture and the history of higher education. She is an avid reader and cross-stitcher who enjoys cooking as well as caring for their large dog Lev.