ASBMB names Mona V. Miller as next executive officer

The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology today named Mona V. Miller its next chief executive officer, effective April 1.

Miller is an association professional and science and health advocate with two decades of experience in strategic planning, fundraising and public policy. She most recently was CEO of the American Society of Human Genetics for six years and before that held multiple leadership positions at the Society for Neuroscience.

In an email announcement to ASBMB members, Ann Stock, president of the ASBMB and chair of the committee that conducted the search, said, “The search yielded dozens of highly qualified candidates — from industry, academia and associations all over the nation. The decision to appoint Mona was unanimous.”

Mona Miller will lead the ASBMB staff at the society's Rockville, Md., headquarters.

Miller said she was drawn to the ASBMB because “scientifically, biochemistry and molecular biology is at the forefront of knowledge that is transforming health and society.”

She said she looks forward to “focusing on the pivotal role of fundamental science and highlighting its inherent wonder and importance, its irreplaceable role as a foundation for downstream discovery and applications, and its centrality to economic growth and human advancement.”

Stock, a distinguished professor at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Rutgers, said the committee sought out someone who would be both a strategic thinker and an inspirational team manager. “As the ASBMB’s new CEO, Mona will work with Council to develop, and then execute, a bold strategic plan that accounts for the changing nature and competitive landscape of scholarly publishing and scientific meetings and the diverse education and career-development needs of the current and next generation of STEM professionals. She will also be responsible for the society’s staff management and business operations,” Stock said.

Stock told staff in an email: “It was important to the search committee to find someone with the emotional intelligence, integrity, enthusiasm and creativity needed to lead people who are eager to achieve great things. We zeroed in on candidates with a track record of developing talent and advocating for lifelong learning.”

Miller earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Tulane University in 1989, a master’s degree in public policy with a concentration in nonprofit management from Harvard Kennedy School in 1998, and an executive education certificate in change management from New York University’s Stern School of Business in 2013.

She started her career in communications, holding roles over six years at the American Women’s Economic Development Corporation, Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the office of U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md. She then entered consulting, working for multiple firms and for herself for five years on health and science policy before joining the Pew Charitable Trusts in 2004.

Miller entered the scientific society sphere in 2007. She did communications and public affairs for SfN and was subsequently promoted to deputy executive director in 2012. She became CEO of ASHG in 2017 and remained there until November 2023.

Joan Conaway is the ASBMB’s president-elect, a member of the search committee and the vice provost and dean of basic research at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. She said the committee found Miller to be an innovative and thoughtful leader with the finance chops the society needs.

“Mona has a strong background in organizational leadership and financial management,” said Conaway, the society’s former treasurer. “As CEO of ASHG, she grew revenue by 25% by diversifying and securing new revenue streams. At SfN, she had direct responsibility for SfN’s financial management, including development and approval of its annual budget, reserve and membership revenue. She also led donor relations and oversaw annual meeting and journal finances.”

Miller succeeds Stephen Miller (no relation), who will retire March 31 after serving the society in several roles since 2004 and as its executive director since 2021.  

"We are deeply indebted to Stephen Miller for his dedication to the society and wish him a grand retirement after his final hurrah at our flagship meeting, Discover BMB, in March in San Antonio,” Stock said.