CSU recognizes National Safety Month, observed annually in June, to celebrate occupational safety and health students, graduates and faculty for their commitments to safety, professionalism and their accomplishments.
Columbia Southern University alumna Laura Miller’s occupational safety and health career spans over 30 years. A distinguished career spanning across various roles and many diverse industries, her words ring true: “Safety applies no matter where you work and what industry.”
Throughout her career, Laura has worked in heavy manufacturing, construction, electric distribution and coal tar refining. In addition, she previously worked for a vendor in automotive and aerospace manufacturing and has worked for a private company that produces metal casting.
She currently serves as the vice president of global health, safety and environment with Aristocrat Technologies, Inc., an Australian-based company headquartered in Las Vegas that manufacture, install and service slot machines. In her role, she assumes global safety and environmental responsibility, managing a team of over 8,000 employees in 60 countries.
“What we do is we get parts from vendors, and then we assemble the cabinets,” she explained. “We put all the guts in the machine, if you will. And we create all the programs, the digital, the visual, the sound and all the intellectual data that goes into creating a slot machine is the real meat of what we do.”
An Unexpected Path to Safety
Despite her impressive background, Laura’s path to safety was not something she always aspired to do, especially in a male-dominated field.
“My path was a little bit different than most of my colleagues in that I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do,” she said. “I knew I needed to find something that would be a career path and not just my next job. Something that would give me some longevity.”
Laura learned about safety through a conversation with a family member regarding the need for health, safety and environment (HSE) roles. The conversation was enough to inspire Laura to pursue a degree.
“I found a program at Kent State, which was close to me,” she explained. “That’s where I got my associate degree. They had a two-year program called environmental management safety technology…and when I started taking classes, it just clicked.”
“It made sense to me. I could read OSHA code. I could understand the industry application, and that’s been one of the highlights of my career is just being able to work in all different kinds of industries.”
After earning an associate degree and beginning her career, she decided to pursue a bachelor’s degree in environmental management, which she earned from CSU.
“I decided to pursue my B.A. in environmental management to broaden my expertise and expand my leadership potential,” said Laura. “The bachelor’s program deepened my knowledge of environmental regulations, compliance strategies and sustainability principles, while strengthening my analytical and strategic thinking skills.”
More Than a Lucky Spin
The safety aspect of slot machines comes with standard risks, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), material handling and the machines’ weight.
“In our integration centers, where we assemble the equipment, we have your standard risks,” she said. “We have material movement. We have material handling equipment. We have workers of all types, full-time and contingent workers, that are processing equipment. It’s very hands on, so we have your typical issues like PPE, electrical safety, equipment material handling safety, warehousing, docks and trucks.”
“We also have a very large field service department, which goes out, and installs and services games in casinos. We also remove games and bring them back. So, there’s quite a big risk for that group as well. I’ve got almost 400 vehicles on the road in the U.S. alone.”
Transporting slot machines require driver safety, roadway safety and vehicle safety.
“Manually moving cabinets in the field is different than moving them in the warehouse because we have equipment there,” said Laura. “Being in someone else’s property where we don’t have a whole lot of control over traffic flow or building and maintenance…so we’re working in somebody else’s house, and that requires a different perspective as well.”
Staying Compliant in Diverse Industries
With over 30 years in the safety industry, Laura’s enjoyed the experience and knowledge she’s gained from working in various sectors. However, working in different areas requires the ability to stay in compliance with that specific industry.
“I think the key is just being open minded to the flexibility you need to appropriately design programs around compliance that fit your industry, because there’s no one thing that works for everybody,” she stated. “It’s how you think about the end goal and get there. And being open to experiences, learning from others, not reinventing the wheel, maybe just modifying things to fit certain industries or certain applications. Those are the things that I think have helped me excel in the space.”
Making Her Mark
When Laura began her career three decades ago, the field was made up of mostly men. However, times have changed, as more women are pursuing safety careers.
“At the time, I thought entering a field with long-term job security—and one that was male-dominated—might give me an opportunity to get my foot in the door, learn and prove myself,” she stated. “But that also came with challenges. There was resistance to change and a mindset of, ‘This is the way we’ve always done it.’ Being a woman in the industry added another layer of difficulty. Things have changed over the years, but progress was slow and the early days were challenging.”
Despite those challenges, Laura remained focused and excelled in her career. She has become an exceptional leader, and her accomplishments have not gone unnoticed.
A Well-Deserved Prestigious Recognition
Laura was recently elected to the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) and is also an active member of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) with the Nevada chapter, which helps her stay informed in the industry.
“It’s amazing to be able to be in a position where I can support the industry and upcoming professionals while shaping the future of what that looks like from a certification perspective…that certification means something,” she said. “It means a lot to be a part of the board. I’m really pleased to have this opportunity.”
Laura plans to continue advancing into executive HSE leadership.
“Looking back, I’m proud of the impact I’ve been able to make,” she said. “HSE hasn’t just provided me with a career—it’s given me purpose. Knowing that the work I do helps people go home safe and healthy every day is what continues to motivate me.”
Disclaimer: These testimonials may not reflect the experience of all CSU students.
Multiple factors, including prior experience, geography, and degree field, affect career outcomes.
CSU does not guarantee a job, promotion, salary increase, eligibility for a position, or other career growth.
