Don’t just join IABC, Claudia Miller says. Get involved.

Fullerton graphic artist Claudia Miller says the best thing she ever did to advance her business was to become involved in IABC. “I never would have learned to be a leader if not for IABC,” she says.

Recently recognized as IABC International’s Regional Leader of the Year, Claudia has served as Chapter Advocate for the Pacific Plains Region. A two-time former Orange County Chapter president, she helped lead the 2011 board to become the Mid-Size Chapter of the Year.

These days she is advising the Los Angeles chapter board on strategies and methods for reviving the IABC/LA chapter, which went unofficially dormant. Thanks partially to her sage advisement, “The L.A. chapter is coming back to life and doing much better,” she says.

An IABC member for nearly 30 years years, Claudia joined IABC Orange County in order to generate new business. At her very first meeting she met and landed one of her biggest clients, who remains with her today. “I wouldn’t have learned as much about the field of communications, which is critical to my job, without involvement in IABC.”

She is the owner of Adirections, where she creates graphic design and illustrations and provides print production management. From the moment she stepped into her first meeting, Claudia recalls, she felt comfortable.

“IABC is not clique-ish,” Claudia adds. “You don’t have to be with the ‘in’ crowd. Participating is easy and fun.”

Most important, there is always something new to learn. “Older members learn from younger people what’s new and cutting-edge,” she says. “Newer people can learn from IABC International. We learn as much from our casual conversations as we do from our meetings and events.”

IABC offers myriad webinars, podcasts and other information designed to train members about social media, writing for the web and email communications, among many other subjects, she says.

Through the organization, members can talk to other professionals throughout the globe to get ideas and information, Claudia notes. “I posted recently on the IABC LinkedIn page and got good responses from people all over the world.”