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Merry Miller, 37
Senior Programming Director
The Learning Annex
The same gumption that got Merry Miller a gig playing harp in a Dallas club when she was only 14 allows her to talk celebrities like Harrison Ford, P. Diddy and Joe Torre into teaching courses at The Learning Annex. The former Miss Dallas, who grew up in tiny Mesquite, Texas, has a list of contacts that's the envy of networking professionals all over town.
Since joining The Learning Annex in 2002, Ms. Miller has been an integral part of the team that has transformed the continuing education school from a $3 million company to one with more than $100 million in revenues, offering 1,800 classes a month in five cities.
Using her Southern charm, Ms. Miller has helped upgrade the company's teachers from a bunch of psychics and matchmatchers to international figures such as Desmond Tutu and music legends like Clive Davis.
"You have to find a balance between the star power and making sure that students learn something," says Ms. Miller, who still plays the harp on the weekends.
To reach that balance, Ms. Miller reminds her celebs how much they would have appreciated it if someone had helped them along the way--and encourages them to get personal in their teaching.
"Merry gave me a forum to express my deepest views and understandings about my team," says New York Giants running back Tiki Barber, a Learning Annex lecturer. "She provides her students with a unique, interactive experience that they will always remember."