We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kimberly Miller a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Kimberly thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?
Joyous is the appropriate adjective to describe my creative career journey! Chalk art is life however before artwork I dreamt of navigating through the world of media and entertainment. 4th grade was the year that started it all as I conducted monthly meetings as president of Midvale Elementary’s media club in Tucker, Georgia. Often I whisper “Thank you” for the support of my teachers and librarian Susan Grigsby for cultivating the early thoughts of a life in media and entertainment that have directed me to my current position in broadcast television at ESPN and Disney!
I am far from a regular job. My world consists of primetime shifts, airing leading sports games, studio shows and biopic films. I do not ponder life outside of media and entertainment. I am here!
Kimberly, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
It all started with the passionate thought of a 4th grader. The dream of working in television to primarily learn then impact, lived rent free in my mind. From an idea to “you’re hired!” I drive into ESPN Headquarters to start my primetime shift operating live events, covering obscene audio in the delay department and train as an assistant director. I am grateful for the plethora of opportunities Disney and ESPN have to offer employees.
I am simply a kid in a candy store meeting and greeting veterans in the television industry with big enough hearts to share the gems that made them sparkle. I’ve had the life enhancing chance to shadow ESPN’S SportCenter anchor John Anderson! This kid in the candy store has just made it to the toy store as I earnestly soaked up tidbits and career advice from John. Encounters like this, though tough to top, fuel the hungry, driven and determined. I do not take it lightly and value the indirect molding of a mentor. I am living and loving the dream!
A message from John Anderson:
What a treat it was to spend a couple of evenings with Kimberly last month. What started out as a routine ask to shadow me for a day turned it to something really fun and unique. As we came to find out,we have a lot of common friends and relationships with people in the track and field world. Who knew? She was a fine college athlete, I was an okay college athlete who now covers fine college athletes.
Generally, when people spend a day in my company they are quiet, almost timid, and afraid to ask questions for fear of getting in the way or disrupting a some sort of work flow or routine. Kimberly dived right in. A natural curiosity that was anything but intrusive, rather inquisitive and focused. She was not here merely to observe but to interact and learn and take notes. During her time with me she worked on sample scripts for stories and took critiques as help and not to heart. If attitude is everything, and the thing we can control most about our job performance she is top notch. That she came in on her day off was impressive. That she returned for a second night and then went off and did her normal ESPN overnight shift was incredible. Clearly this is a person with goals and ambition. That’s great for ESPN & Disney or whomever else is lucky enough to employ her next.
John Anderson
ESPN SportsCenter
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
I am grateful to have attended Boise State University on a track and field scholarship. As a Mass Communications/Journalism major I was provided access to video equipment and resources for class projects. I would tell any aspiring creative to utilize the resources around you at this time! Once I graduated I soon noticed the advantage of being a student.
What do you find most rewarding about being creative?
To be or not to be?” The answer is to be! To be a creative is fulfilling daily because sparks of plans, visions and ideas overflow with a caffeinated feeling of excitement and intention to bring these imaginative possibilities to fruition. The ideas don’t stop and neither do I! I enjoy sharing my grand plans with my supervisor Joe Nedinsky, another television veteran, who fuels me with encouragement and support to help pave a promising career path. To be heard, to be seen, to be valued is not just rewarding to the creative but to most.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: kimbo_mills2.0
Image Credits
Terence Higginbotham