Ellington

As the vice president of family services for the Metropolitan YMCA's of Mississippi, Jara Miller has witnessed the toll the economic downturn has taken on families.

"Families are under more stress," she says. "When you are stressed, you tend to snap at your kids, communication breaks down, and we've seen an increase in domestic abuse."

Miller, 40, who is based at the Ridgeland YMCA, works with families to produce positive and healthy relationships. The YMCA provides parenting and marriage classes along with fatherhood programs.

"My goal is to increase the ways in which the Y nurtures the potential of kids, promotes healthy living, and fosters a sense of social responsibility by working with individuals and communities to address pressing issues. I want the Y to be at the forefront of people's minds as a place to learn, grow and thrive." Miller says.

Miller, a native of Stuttgart, Ark., earned her bachelor's and masters degree in economics from Eastern Illinois University. She previously worked at a community health center in Nashville and a freestanding birthing center funded through a W.K. Kellogg Foundation grant. She moved to Jackson in 2004 for her current job.

Miller says the YMCA's programs empower families while helping them learn conflict resolution.

Miller lives in Brandon with her husband Corey and her son, Olin, and daughter. Cody. She says humor keeps her family connected.

"If we go a day without laughing about something, that's a day too long," she says.

Miller is passionate about making a positive change in other people's lives and helping families communicate with one another without turning to violence.

"With hope, people see that they can have a better life for themselves and their families, and they're willing to face the challenges that lie ahead," she says.

For more information on the YMCA's programs, visit the organization's website.