Beverly McMilan

Beverly McMillan  is a site leader for Alliance Data in Rio Rancho, capping a 27-year career in care center leadership. But in the community she is known for her work on domestic violence, and she was a key ally during the six years that Sage magazine presented public forums on the topic, from 1999 to 2005.

McMillan is still active on the boards of United Way of Central New Mexico and Albuquerque Community Foundation. She continues to be an advocate for victims of domestic violence as the go-to person at her church if someone is looking for services. “So that is still near and dear to my heart,” McMillan says. She also is president of the local branch of a national service organization called The Links Inc., a volunteer service organization that advocates for African-Americans.

What inspires her: “I’m old-school so I still believe in the human spirit, humankind. If we all put our heads together … we can come together and solve the problems of the world.”She says that if everyone “picked up one person, there wouldn’t be a single homeless person.”

Finding that passion: Young women should figure out what their passion is as soon as possible and follow it. She acknowledges that following that passion is going to get uncomfortable. But, she says, stick with it and you’ll not only see the rewards, you’ll get there faster.“Watch the self talk,” McMillan says. “Don’t get in your own way. It took me all these years to figure that all out.”

On who she is: “I’ve had a very interesting life. I don’t think I’d be Beverly McMillan if I changed it. I wouldn’t change a thing. I have no regrets.”