In business and in philanthropy, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan Board of Trustees member Carla Walker-Miller has worked to expand access to opportunities so all people in our region can thrive.
Walker-Miller is the founder and CEO of Walker-Miller Energy Services, which Crain’s Detroit Business recently ranked as the 17th-largest woman-owned business in Michigan. The company also is among the largest woman- and Black-owned energy efficiency firms in the United States. During 2024, Walker-Miller Energy Services generated $68.7 million in revenue and employed 107 people in Michigan.
Walker-Miller joined the Community Foundation’s board in 2021. She says her superpower as a trustee is using her lived experience to represent people who otherwise would not have a voice at the table.
What motivates you to prioritize philanthropy and community service?
When I was a child, my family and I received benefits that I did not realize were from philanthropy, including summer camps, after-school programs and a college scholarship. Both of my parents worked multiple jobs and, even with 11 kids, my mother gave some of her precious time to volunteer.
So, I am a witness to the powerful impact of philanthropy and understand that these efforts, large and small, help move the needle for so many and can improve the trajectories of families and entire communities.
What do you love about the Community Foundation?
I love that this organization has had the vision and the resources to look far into the future and imagine “what if.” I love that, in collaboration with others, it has the heft to activate that vision for the common good. I love that the Community Foundation is increasingly seeking input from the very communities it serves.
And, finally, I love that the Community Foundation has recognized President and CEO Nicole Sherard-Freeman for her singular talent and entrusted her to lead the organization into the future.
Why have you supported the Community Foundation’s operating endowment?
Many donors want to see tangible evidence of their investments in real time, so raising dollars for an actual program is much easier than raising funds to support administration.
The fact is that proper stewardship of funding requires a top-tier administrative strategy and operational excellence.
Investments in the Now and Forever Fund allow the Community Foundation to drive a culture of excellence by attracting and retaining top talent, investing in business innovation and pursuing continuous improvement.
Is there a mantra or quote that inspires you?
I am a hypersensitive introvert determined to do things that require vision and boldness. As such, I do things that frighten me, and my anxiety is sometimes at 11.
My foundational scripture is, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, of love and of a sound mind.”
Which brings me to my favorite mantra, which is by none other than me: “Courage is a renewable resource.”
When, in my humanity, I fail to meet the moment, this mantra reminds me that there is no shortage of things worth fighting for, and every day offers another opportunity to be courageous.
It inspires me to allow myself the same grace I so freely extend to others. And we all need grace.
This story was first published in the Summer 2025 REPORT.