Patricia “Pat” Chisolm-Miller began serving as the McLennan County Commissioner for Precinct 2 on January 1, 2019. She is the first woman to be elected to the McLennan County Commissioners Court and the first African American woman to serve on the Court. There are 1,016 county commissioners in the State of Texas. Of those, 50 are women and 34 are African American. Six of those 1,016 county commissioners are African American women. Commissioner Miller is one of only six African American women serving on commissioners courts across our state.
Patricia Miller is the middle daughter born to Mr. & Mrs. John and Arthur Lee Chisolm. She was born in Brooklyn, New York on November 10, 1958. At the age of 10, Pat moved to Waco, McLennan County, Texas, and has been a resident of our community ever since. She attended the former Richfield High School and East Texas State University and has been a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated since 1979.
The Political Science major’s true passion in life is service. Prior to coming to the Commissioners’ Office in 1995, Pat worked for the Texas State Technical College Waco Women’s Resource Center, Carl D. Perkins Formula Funding, “Project Texas” Grant. The grant funded by the state of Texas under the governorship of Ann Richards as a “welfare to work” program, provided childcare stipends for women pursuing “nontraditional” degrees from TSTC Waco.
Patricia’s long history of community service and civic engagement has shaped her personal philosophy. The more challenging the test – the greater the opportunity for bold, purposeful action. The recipient of the National Association of Negro Business & Professional Women’s Club’s 2023 Sojourner Truth Award, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated Waco Alumnae Chapter 2022 Political Awareness and Involvement Award, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated, Omicron Upsilon Chapter 2020 Omega Psi Phi Citizen of the Year Award, the Delta Upsilon Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Community Service Award for Governmental Affairs, and the 2018 Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Lady of Distinction Award, she currently serves on the McLennan County Investment Committee, Treasurer for the McLennan County Employees Federal Credit Union Board of Directors, Second Vice President of the National Association of Negro Business & Professional Women’s Club, City Center of Waco Board of Directors, Waco ISD GWAMA Business Advisory Board, and the Health and Human Services Advisory Council. She is a past Vice Chair of the Community Race Relations Coalition Board of Directors and has served as a member of the Eastern Waco Development Corporation Board of Directors, Compassion Ministries Board of Directors, United Way Allocations Committee, and the Women’s Resource Center Advisory Board.
Patricia has been a member of Toliver Chapel Missionary Baptist Church for over 50 years. She is the Assistant Director of Sunday School and is active in the Sanctuary Choir, Celestial Voices Choir, and Womens’ Chorus.
Married to Robert Miller, Sr., she is a mom, grandmother, great-grandmother, and last but not least - loving aunt. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and listening to music. Her most memorable book is “Jesus and the Disinherited.” by Howard Thurman. Her favorite quote, from Winston S. Churchill is, “To every man there comes in his lifetime that special moment when he is figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered a chance to do a very special thing, unique to him and fitted to his talents. What a tragedy if that moment finds him unprepared or unqualified for that which would be his finest hour.”