Leadership is an elusive skill that can be hard to define. What makes someone a good leader? Is it passion, commitment and the ability to inspire others? Or is it strength and vision?
The Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia has named Williamsburg resident Natalie Miller-Moore to its Political Leaders Program Class of 2016. Miller-Moore is the only resident from the Historic Triangle included among the class of 36 Virginians selected as members of the 10-month program.
“I've heard such good things from friends and colleagues who've gone through the Sorensen Institute that it seemed like the next step for me,” said Miller-Moore. “I'm looking forward to meeting people who live in Virginia but have a different experience of it than I do, and learning from them.”
The 2016 Political Leaders Program class will meet for the first time March 17-19 in Williamsburg. The participants will continue to meet for one weekend each month through December in different regions of the state. The program is designed to offer leadership development for Virginia residents interested in becoming more active in public service.
Miller-Moore is the founder and CEO of Moore than Words Health Communications and a founder of Work Nimbly, Williamsburg’s creative co-working space. She collaborates with small business owners, helping them refine their messaging, branding and communications to better connect with patients and clients.
Miller-Moore also mentors new business owners through START Peninsula, Work Nimbly’s Cobblers’ Collective and The Entrepreneur’s Connection at William and Mary’s Mason School of Business. She chairs the marketing committee for the annual Hands Together Historic Triangle event and serves on the Board of Directors for Beyond Boobs breast health organization.
After graduating from the Greater Williamsburg Chamber and Tourism Alliance’s 2013 LEAD Historic Triangle program, Miller-Moore began looking for additional ways to expand her leadership skills.
“I very much enjoyed my experience with LEAD Historic Triangle in 2012 and 2013, particularly learning all about the components that make up our community,” she said. “With Sorenson, I'll get to do that on a state level.”
During her time with the Sorensen program, Miller-Moore said she hopes to focus on “civility in politics” and learn tools and techniques that will help build solutions in arenas of health care and beyond.
“My experience leads me to believe that health care is inextricably linked to many political issues and will continue to be,” Miller-Moore said. “I'm looking forward to deepening my health care knowledge and broadening my knowledge on other important civic topics.”