Meet Ralsey Miller

What is your role at Avison Young?

Administrative Coordinator

I assist the brokers with their marketing and administrative requirements.

How did you get into commercial real estate?

Well, this is my first grown up job since graduating college in May. I was exposed to CRE through my parents who were working in the industry my whole life, and I always thought I would end up doing something other than CRE, but it just runs in the family.

Kiana Akina, our Operations Manager, took a chance on me by hiring someone with no real background in CRE, but so far things are going really well and I am learning a lot.

Who has been the biggest influence in your life and why?

Both my mom and my dad are the biggest influences in my life.

My dad was the kindest person I knew, and was always so present in my life, which I feel like can be somewhat rare. He was at every single one of my swim meets in the summer, every field hockey game, and he even coached my soccer team when I was younger. He always went above and beyond to help people with their careers as well as their personal lives, and that really left an impact on me. He really demonstrated that being kind to others and lending a hand to those that needed one truly makes the world a better place. My dad passed away when I was a senior in high school and I constantly strive to be more like him.

My mom had a very successful career in CRE and really made a name for herself despite the fact that she was one of few women in CRE at the beginning of her career. She showed me the importance of standing up for yourself and what you believe in; even if it seems like no one is going to take you seriously, you still have to use your voice. She is poised, strong, and stubborn which is what I think made her so successful. She also went out of her way to help women who wanted to get into CRE, she wanted to see other women succeed like she did in this industry, which I find very admirable. I think sometimes as women we are taught to view one another as our competition and that we should push each other down rather than lifting each other up. On top of all of that, she is an amazing mom who always put our family first. I really aspire to be like both my parents.

What is the best advice you've ever received?

The best advice I have ever received is to kill them with kindness. I truly believe that being kind to everyone, even those who are not necessarily kind to you, will you get you much farther in life than being rude.

I also think it is a really good reminder that we don’t know what people are going through or struggling with, and I try to think of the golden rule when interacting with others; treat people how you would like to be treated. This is something that I constantly remind myself of and it can be hard to actually implement at times but it is something I live by.

How has Avison Young supported you as a woman in business?

Avison Young has supported me as a woman in business by giving me a chance. I don't have any prior experience in CRE and my degree is in Sociology, so they took a chance on me and gave me the opportunity to really learn about this industry, which I am so grateful for. It is a really special place and I am fortunate to work alongside so many smart, kind, and powerful women.

What would people be surprised to learn about you?

People would be surprised to learn that I love to spend time outdoors, I enjoy flyfishing with my family as well as skiing. I spend a lot of my time with my dog Cheddar and enjoy taking him on adventures. I come off as pretty girly so it can throw people off when they learn that about me.