Embracing Change with Monifa Miller
A candid conversation on working with change, finding an unexpected career in nuclear, and helping people connect with an industry they may never have considered.
For Monifa Miller, change has been a familiar part of life. Moving between Jamaica and Canada, adapting to different communities and building a career across industries helped her develop a confidence that she could find her way through something new.
In this episode of Splitting Atoms, Monifa joins Caitlin Stone to explore how those experiences shaped her approach to work, relationships and entrepreneurship. As she introduces her consulting firm, Stratus Strategies, she reflects on bringing together the knowledge and perspectives she has gained throughout her career.
Her entrance into nuclear began with a practical decision: finding work closer to home while raising young children. After a communications and fundraising role at the University of Toronto, she joined the Darlington refurbishment project at Ontario Power Generation. What followed was an introduction to a world of science, technology, community engagement and interconnected businesses that she had barely known was nearby.
Being new to the industry became part of what she could offer. Monifa describes learning its language, questioning unfamiliar acronyms and finding ways to explain complex work to people outside nuclear. Her subsequent experience with X-energy, BWXT and AtkinsRéalis gave her different perspectives on the industry and the stories it has to tell.
Throughout the conversation, Monifa and Caitlin return to a shared question: what makes someone care? They explore how communication can connect nuclear with everyday concerns, career opportunities and the people behind the work. For Monifa, building that connection means understanding the audience and showing why a story matters in their lives.
The discussion also returns to the personal side of change: learning to work with different personalities, adapting to organizational cultures and recognizing when it is time for a new challenge. Warm, candid and full of the humour of two friends, this conversation offers a perspective on embracing unfamiliar opportunities while bringing your experience with you.
Change can become a skill you carry forward
Growing up between Jamaica and Canada meant repeatedly adapting to new surroundings. Monifa reflects on how those experiences helped her become comfortable with change and willing to begin something new.
Fresh eyes can reveal what others take for granted
Entering nuclear meant learning unfamiliar language and asking what its acronyms actually meant. Monifa describes how that outside perspective helped her explain the industry and question established approaches to communication.
People need to see why a story matters to them
Monifa encourages communicators to look beyond asking people to support a project. She describes connecting its purpose with what audiences care about, from opportunities for their families to the way they experience everyday life.
Adapt your approach to the people in front of you
Working across organizations taught Monifa that people and cultures operate differently. She reflects on meeting people where they are and adjusting her approach to suit the setting.
Your skills may belong in an industry you have never considered
Monifa entered nuclear through communications and discovered a much wider range of work than she had imagined. She highlights opportunities beyond engineering, including marketing, health and safety, government relations and creative work.
How did Monifa Miller find her way into nuclear?
After her contract at the University of Toronto ended, Monifa wanted work closer to home while raising young children. Communications opportunities on OPG’s Darlington refurbishment project introduced her to nuclear. She describes discovering the science, supply chain and community engagement behind a major project in her own area.
How did growing up between Jamaica and Canada shape her relationship with change?
Monifa describes moving between countries and homes throughout her childhood before returning to Canada after university. Looking back, she connects those experiences with her willingness to adapt, meet new people and trust that she can find a way forward. That outlook also helped her approach starting her own business.
How can nuclear communication help people care about the industry?
Monifa argues that communication needs to connect a project with the lives of the people hearing about it. She discusses showing audiences how nuclear relates to their concerns, aspirations and opportunities. Her approach starts with why something matters to them, rather than assuming they already share the industry’s priorities.
Why did she decide to start Stratus Strategies?
Monifa describes a longstanding ambition to work independently and a desire to bring her experience across organizations and industries into a new venture. She saw an opportunity to help clients tell more compelling stories and build understanding and trust. Later in the conversation, she reflects on how her appetite for new challenges helped her decide the time was right.
