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Veronica Miller’s journey from Eritrean refugee to NVIDIA technical program manager
Veronica Miller, an Eritrean refugee who fled her homeland with her family to escape an ongoing war, has found a new life and successful career in the United States. According to NVIDIA BlogMiller now serves as Technical Program Manager for Product Security at NVIDIA, where he believes his family’s journey has come full circle.
Early life and challenges
At the age of five, Miller (née Teklai) and her family left Eritrea, a country in the Horn of Africa, to escape conflict with Ethiopia. They settled in East Orange, New Jersey, where they faced numerous challenges. Miller recalls watching her parents struggle to find work despite their qualifications because of their appearance, English accents and unfamiliar names.
His father, after two decades in the shipping business, became a New York City cab driver, a job fraught with danger in the 1980s. Her mother, who earned a computer science degree in the United States, found work as a home health aide, a field with more job opportunities.
“My parents’ resilience and courage made my life possible,” Miller said.
Professional path and results obtained
Miller graduated from Ramapo College of New Jersey with a degree in international business and began her career in customer support, manufacturing support and project management at large automotive companies. Her career took a significant turn when she joined NVIDIA, where she now works as a Technical Program Manager in product security.
Describing his role, Miller likens himself to an orchestra conductor who works with engineers to fill gaps, understand challenges and define solutions. He strives to turn obstacles into opportunities through collaboration.
“It is the honor of my life to be here at NVIDIA – I am the proudest refugee,” she said.
Embrace authenticity and give back
At NVIDIA, Miller has found an environment that encourages her to be herself, allowing her creativity to flourish. She said that in previous roles she felt forced to conform, even changing her appearance to fit in. “NVIDIA is the first employer that encouraged me to bring my all to work,” she said.
Outside of her professional life, Miller and her husband Nathan are dedicated to community service. They founded the Miller Family Foundation to support local youth in Trenton, New Jersey. The foundation gave $20,000 in scholarships to low-income high school students for college tuition and career tutoring.
“I truly believe anyone can get here. There was no one to show me the route. It was belief in myself, a lot of research and endless hard work,” Miller said. “We are in a special position where my husband and I can offer the next generation some of the financial support and career guidance that we didn’t have.”
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