Jennifer Lauren Miller Higley shaped her short life by caring for causes greater than herself and fully experiencing the brilliance of human expression. Whether that meant championing social equality and women’s rights, visiting museums and exhibitions weekly, teaching the art of ikebana, or sharing her love of film, music, and art with her friends and family, Jenn absorbed and contributed to the world voraciously.
In late 2020, Jenn’s life was cut short at age 35 after a year-long fight with an extremely aggressive form of breast cancer. In her honor, the Miller and Higley family created The Hummingbird Endowment for the Arts, which will provide an annual award to a woman pursuing an education in the creative arts.
Devoted to Making a Difference
Jenn grew up in Los Angeles and earned a BA in communications and art history from UCLA before attending The New School in New York, where she received a master’s in Media Studies. She jumped into a career focused on human-centered design, finally serving as the Director of Experience Design at the world-renowned TBWA\Media Arts Lab. She leveraged her compassion and empathy, as well as her photographic and synesthetic mind, to design unique systems that made a difference in people’s lives, both professionally and personally.
A Lasting Legacy of Learning
Jenn devoted herself to a life of learning, experiencing, and questioning. Her deeply inquisitive nature was also a gift. Every question she asked was a gift back to you. With her eyes wide and ears open, Jenn lived completely. She would have continued to make an incredible impact in the world. Her family hopes that The Hummingbird Endowment for the Arts will bring the joy of learning and the arts to others for many years to come.
Created April 2021