At the CNEW Small Business & Nonprofit Fair, you’ll hear directly from leaders and experts who are making an impact in our region. These speakers bring a wealth of knowledge, practical strategies, and inspiring stories to help entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and community members grow and thrive. Explore their backgrounds below and get ready to gain insights you can put into action.
Diana Hill- Originally from Canada, is the owner and operator of USA AllStars, a premier competitive cheer and dance program based in Fredericksburg, Virginia. A former Washington Redskins cheerleader and alumni of Leadership Fredericksburg (Class of 2023), Diana brings both athletic and corporate world experience to her leadership.
With more than 20 years in corporate management—including roles at Sprint and Sprint Nextel—she transitioned her skills into building USA AllStars into a program that serves over 200 athletes each season. Diana is deeply committed to developing young people through cheer, hip hop, dance, and tumbling, while also emphasizing discipline, self-confidence, and mental health.
Her journey from professional cheerleading to entrepreneurship has been defined by a passion for empowering others, giving back to the community, and inspiring the next generation of leaders both on and off the mat
Sandra Erickson- A is a passionate nonprofit professional who started as Executive Director with Big Brothers Big Sisters Greater Fredericksburg in June 2022. With over 15 years of experience working with or for the nonprofit sector, Sandra is skilled in communications, strategic planning, and leveraging volunteers. She volunteers in her local community through her membership with Kiwanis of Fredericksburg.
Previously, Sandra worked as Director of Operations at the Historic Fredericksburg Foundation, Inc. She also served as a federal employee for over 6 years with AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps as Community Relations Specialist, among other positions. Prior to that, she completed 2-terms of national service through that same program. She also had a Small Business partnership in college focused on video production.
Sandra has a Master’s degree in Nonprofit Administration, with a concentration in Development, from Louisiana State University Shreveport. She has a Bachelor’s degree from the University at Buffalo with a double major in Media Study, with a concentration in Video Production, and History. She also holds a certificate in Nonprofit Management and a certificate in Digital Brand Management.
Sandra has a wonderful husband and two small children. She loves spending time with her family, watching hockey games, and traveling. One of Sandra’s proudest achievements is having earned the President’s Lifetime Achievement Volunteer Service Award by the time she was 24 for having volunteered over 4,000 hours with nonprofit organizations nationwide.
Brooke Miller- Started her sales career in Cincinnati, OH, at the age of 6, selling Girl Scout Cookies and Stationery with vigor. A 1999 graduate of Vanderbilt University, Brooke Miller started her professional career as a Navy Officer (Surface Warfare) serving on two Destroyers (USS BARRY and USS THORN) followed by a brief international assignment supporting the US Ambassador to NATO in Brussels, Belgium.
Leaving active duty in 2003 and relocating to Fredericksburg, VA she started a highly successful real estate business from the ground up with Long & Foster, Realtors.
Building her business solely on referrals from her past clients, colleagues and friends, Brooke is honored to be one of the top 500 referral based Real Estate Professionals in North America and was named the “Top Realtor” and “Top Team” for Central Virginia and in Northern Virginia yearly from 2018-2025.
As a team leader and industry leader, she strives to build a culture within her company that encourages impact on our community, serving with excellence, and having FUN while doing it. As a result, her team is honored to be recognized the #1 Ranked Team in the Long & Foster Company. This is all thanks to our wonderful teammates and clients who we deeply care about and appreciate every day. Brooke Loves what she does.
Brooke served as President of the Fredericksburg Area Association of REALTORS® in 2015, Leadership Fredericksburg Class of 2017 and serves or has served on numerous other local non-profit boards, currently serving on the Germanna Community College Educational Foundation Board (Past President), the Association of REALTORS Budget and Finance Committee (Standing member) and the Community Foundation of the Rappahannock River Region Board of Governors.
Brooke is also a proud Rotarian having been inducted into the now 100+ year old Fredericksburg Rotary Club in July 2021.
The joy of being a life-long athlete has inspired her to keep active and lead the way for other moms and women in the community. Brooke has played competitive tennis, competed in Triathlon, the yearly half marathon, occasionally plays golf, and has recently earned her 1st Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo. She plans to go to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles (not as an athlete, but a spectator or a volunteer-this is a life-long dream of hers)
Brooke and her husband live in Spotsylvania County and they are most proud of their two amazing kids: Dahlia Grace (19) and Ace (15) who, themselves, are a future Medical Professional and a future Robotics Imagineer for Disney and are involved in Sports, Music, Church and School.