How Former Lawyer Amanda McMillian Became a Nonprofit CEO Less Than One Month Into the COVID-19 Pandemic

This article is promoted/partner content and not produced by the editorial staff.

This profile is a part of the Texas Mutual Insurance Company Leader Series, spotlighting Texas business owners and innovators strengthening their communities through leadership and philanthropy. Each feature tells a story of resilience and impact, aligning with Texas Mutual’s mission to support a stronger, safer Texas.

For some people, the start of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown was marked by baking sourdough bread. Other people got into needlepointing. Many bought a Peloton and created an at-home gym. It’s rare to find people who decided it was the perfect time to start a new job — let alone, one as big and important as the President & CEO of United Way of Greater Houston.

Amanda McMillian is a 7th generation Texan. Born and raised in Huntsville, she went to Southwestern University in Georgetown and then on to Duke University for law school and a Master’s Degree in political science. She was a corporate attorney for more than 20 years, first in the Dallas and Houston offices of Akin Gump, and then in-house at Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, where she was the first (and only) woman to serve on Anadarko’s executive committee. When Anadarko got acquired in 2019, she decided to pivot and take the job as the President & CEO of United Way of Greater Houston. Her first day? May 1, 2020 – just as the COVID-19 pandemic was kicking off, and community resources were needed more than ever.

But, for someone as calm, cool, and collected as McMillian with pristine crisis management skills, Houston was lucky to have her at the wheel. In the six years since she joined United Way, McMillian has watched Greater Houston transform into an even stronger region, better prepared for disaster and more responsive in helping those who need it the most. She credits United Way’s network of nearly 100 community partners for helping neighbors land on their feet and stay there, setting up their community for long-term success.

“When disaster strikes, Houston shows up for each other,” says McMillian. “We show up no matter what. For example, with Hurricane Harvey, we had everything from roving crews of neighbors to help, and those organizing supply drives, to big organizations like us at United Way raising over $54 million to forge paths to long-term recovery.”

McMillian calls this aspirational pragmatism, and says it’s a defining feature of the Houston community.

“We know how to get things done and get things done well,” she says. “There’s a different level of collaboration here than you see in other communities.”

While of course she lives and breathes the nonprofit world through United Way of Greater Houston, she’s also a big fan of the Southern Smoke Foundation, which provides relief and aid to food and beverage workers when it’s needed.

“It takes all of us to create community change and help our neighbors,” says McMillian.

Going outside the boardroom, one of McMillian’s favorite Houston spots includes the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center, where she was Board president during its transformation after Hurricane Ike and the drought that followed. She calls it a great spot to get outside that’s still inside the loop and recharge your batteries.

A proud resident of The Heights for 23 years, you can also catch her at Jūn (and its daytime cafe called Third Place) or Jane and the Lion Bakehouse, where she can snag some of Chef Jane Wild’s gluten-free baked goods. She loves visiting The Hobby Center with her teenage daughter to catch a musical or taking visitors to see the Rothko Chapel and Menil Collection.

If you ask her about her hopes and dreams for the future of Houston, she’s quick to note the city’s affordability and ensuring it stays a community accessible to all.

“I would love to help more Houstonians find a stable future and show everyone what that path to possibility looks like,” says McMillian. “That is my ultimate hope for Houston.”