Fifty years ago, 89 students arrived in Lakeville and ushered in a new era of women and girls at Hotchkiss. Throughout the 2024-25 academic year, Hotchkiss will reflect on their inspiring legacy, pay tribute to the achievements of students who followed in their footsteps, and gratefully acknowledge all members of the Hotchkiss community who boldly helped steer the School forward.
By Erin Reid P’01,’05
Dionne Cruz Miller ’90 is a healthcare professional who combined her admiration for physicians with the practice of health law, which sets regulations and policies. Currently self-employed as a healthcare expert, she recently served as chief executive officer of Presbyterian Healthcare Services of Albuquerque, NM, and chief operating officer at Kaiser Foundation Hospital and Health Plan in San Francisco, CA.
“Public health is the intersection of medicine and law where theory and practice come together, enabling you to impact vast populations,” she explained. “It is ever-evolving, meaningful, and important work.” She has enjoyed the opportunity to help people through her work on advocacy, policy, strategy, and direct care delivery.
Miller arrived at Hotchkiss as a lower mid from Taos, NM, with a strong sense of community and family. “While at an honor society conference, I met students from all over the world, many from boarding schools,” said Miller, who attended public school. Following that conference, she told her parents she wanted to go to a traditional New England boarding school. With their support, she was accepted at Hotchkiss and four other schools. “After visiting each, Hotchkiss stood out for us—the warm welcome, the sense of community, the greenery (coming from the Southwest), and the unparalleled facilities. We knew we had found our school. And that decision changed the course of my life.”
With Erica Hamlin P’91 as an advisor and mentor, Miller learned assertiveness and to speak up for others as well as for herself. “I attribute my love of biology to her and to Joe Merrill P’90,’93. Their teaching styles inspired curiosity and engagement: ‘Ask why; there are no wrong questions,’” she recalls.
“Tim Katzman opened our eyes in his International Political Hot Spots course and created a space to learn and respectfully discuss complex issues while having deeply divergent points of view,” she said. Miller attended the world speech and debate tournament in London where she gained invaluable skills in developing succinct arguments and using humor to relay points with confidence when presenting to large crowds. Hotchkiss athletics gave her leadership principles and a sense of being part of a focused and united team. “That resonated with me and remains part of my professional leadership philosophy,” she said.
Miller received a bachelor’s degree at Pomona College. She planned to major in pre-med or pre-law but had a change of heart after an ecology study abroad in Ecuador. “I worked with an organization that assisted Campesinas in the Andes with education and access to safe reproductive healthcare, so I switched and completed the requirements for biology, economics, and women’s studies. I petitioned the registrar to title it Women’s Healthcare Policy. Approaching issues from a multidisciplinary lens seemed a natural evolution from the education I received at Hotchkiss.” She went on to earn a master’s degree in public health services management from UCLA.
Miller was the first Hispanic woman to lead Presbyterian Hospital, and she reflected on that accomplishment during National Hispanic Heritage Month, which was celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. She oversaw the hospital’s recent $170 million expansion—the largest construction project in its history.
Looking back on years of experience in public health management, she says, “Whether being the youngest person in the room or the only female or person of color, I find success lies in seeking intersections of commitment and connection. You can build something if you have equal parts healthy competition, inspiration, and accountability. I intentionally work to create a space for diverse perspectives and experiences in all forms, knowing the end product will be synergistically better and more sustainable.”
Hotchkiss had been coed for a little over a decade when Miller arrived. “It still had remnants of having been a school for boys, and I think that, in some ways, it prepared me well as a COO and CEO. I learned to seek knowledge, be assertive, speak with confidence, and how to responsibly take action,” she said. “It was a defining period in my development. I left the familiar and went to a place that tested my mental, physical, and emotional capacity. I gained independence and confidence, learning who I was in the face of being challenged or even uncomfortable. I made lifelong friends. Professionally, Hotchkiss provided me with a rich foundation from which to grow no matter the path I chose.”
She applauded Hotchkiss’s educational opportunities, intentional commitment to social development and learning, teachers who “instructed and also cared” for her, “amazing” facilities, and the ability to meet and listen to world-class speakers on campus. “All of this set the bar for what is possible,” she said. “When people learn I attended Hotchkiss, they recognize the caliber of the education I received. It’s something of which I am proud, and when I donate, it is to financial aid. I believe in fostering socioeconomic and ethnic diversity and enriching learning for all. It’s how I was able to attend Hotchkiss. I am filled with gratitude.”
In light of the 50th anniversary of women at Hotchkiss, Miller notes, “At this time, healthcare finance, policy, and administration are predominantly male. I think those fields would benefit from having more young women consider these tracks, which are rapidly evolving with changes in technology. Women are the primary healthcare decision-makers for themselves and their families. Their voices and contributions will only improve healthcare quality, access, and outcomes.”