Her Story
About Meredith
Meredith Bookless is an executive business support and retail leadership professional currently serving as Executive Assistant to the CEO at MillerKnoll. In her role, she provides high-level executive support, manages complex calendars and travel, participates in leadership meetings, coordinates across teams, and supports organizational priorities. She brings extensive experience in retail operations, visual merchandising, team leadership, and strategic coordination, with a career characterized by adaptability, determination, and continuous professional growth.
Before joining MillerKnoll, Meredith built a nearly two-decade career with Crate & Barrel, progressing through increasingly responsible positions including Department/Sales/Assistant Manager, Store Manager, Homestore Manager, Area Designer, Regional Visual Merchandising Manager, and Area Manager. She later served as General Manager at Herman Miller before transitioning into executive business support at MillerKnoll. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Communications from the University of Kentucky and earned the Certified MillerKnoll Foundation Global Ambassador certification in February 2026.
Meredith attributes her professional success to her determination and growth mindset. Her leadership philosophy emphasizes authenticity, kindness, positive intent, and maintaining positive energy even when work is challenging. She has also demonstrated a strong commitment to veterans through her leadership involvement with the MillerKnoll Veterans Business Resource Group and participation in veteran-focused events and fundraising initiatives. Looking ahead, her professional interests include continued growth within executive support, potentially leading an executive-assistant team, and expanding her involvement in board and committee work.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Meredith
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to being a determined person and maintaining a growth mindset. I believe mindset matters significantly in how we approach challenges, opportunities, and professional development. My determination and willingness to continue learning and growing have played an important role in helping me become the professional I am today.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice is to stay persistent and look for ways to connect what you are doing today with what you want to be doing in the future. Recognize that the skills you already have can often be relatable and transferable to other roles and industries.
I also encourage women to use professional networking platforms such as LinkedIn to connect with people who are already working in roles they are interested in pursuing. Reach out, ask questions, seek advice, and learn from their experiences. Do not underestimate the value of building meaningful professional relationships and being intentional about your career development.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One challenge in the executive-assistant field is the perception that the role is less legitimate or strategic than a Chief of Staff position. In reality, executive assistants often carry significant responsibility behind the scenes, and the trusted partnership they develop with senior leaders is critical to organizational effectiveness.
At the same time, I see meaningful opportunities for growth within executive-support teams, including opportunities to take on broader leadership responsibilities and become involved in board and committee work. The role can extend far beyond traditional administrative responsibilities when the executive assistant is trusted as a strategic partner to leadership.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Being genuine is extremely important to me. I believe in leading with kindness, assuming positive intent, and being authentic in how I interact with others. I also believe in bringing a positive attitude and energy to the workplace. Work can be challenging, so I believe it is important to remain genuine, supportive, and positive while treating others with respect.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.