35 under 35
Miller McInnis McKenzie, Au.D., ABAC, CCC-A Alpha Sigma - Florida State University
Clinical Audiologist, Coastal Ear Nose and Throat P.A.
Which of the Delta Zeta shared values resonates with you the most? Community
Can you share a brief 5-7 sentence biography about yourself, highlight key moments in your career that have shaped who you are today?
I went into college hoping to be the next great sideline sports reporter and left orientation signed up for the introductory class in communication sciences and disorders. CSD was a perfect fit for my personality an life goals, and once I found audiology I knew I was set. I thought I would be settling back near my family after graduate school, but life had other plans when my first job out of graduate school fell through. Luckily, thanks to the relationships I had developed with several mentors, I found another great fit in a new city. After getting my bearings in a new area and hard work, I was able to purchase my first home as a single gal. Once again, thanks to the professional relationships I built, I was able to shift to working on the industry side and give Corporate America a try. I was able to travel both domestically and internationally, and have some incredible experiences while with the company. From speaking to large crowds of hundreds of providers to celebrating milestones along with small family owned businesses, there were many meaningful moments. Now that I am back on the patient care side, I am finding more meaningful moments impacting both my coworkers and patients. After traveling and having some time home, I have been able to reconnect with my community and get back into the organizations that have meant so much to me over the years. I look forward to this next chapter!
Who has been an invaluable mentor for your professional career? What did you learn from this friendship?
Indira Alvarez. Indira was my first supervisor while I was on clinical rotation in graduate school. She went above and beyond the required supervision to show me the ins and outs of owning a small business. She also taught me to stand up and be proud to be a woman in the science, technology, engineering and math field, and to wear the title of Doctor of Audiology proudly. When my first ”real world job” fell through, she was the first call I made and I ended up joining her new business venture across the state. She then helped mentor me through the change to the industry side. We became so close that she was one of the first friends I had ”vet” my now husband while we were dating and she was a bridesmaid in our wedding. Her sons know me as tía Miller and we are all family.
How did you discover your passion and what opportunities have helped shape your curiosity for what you do?
My passion is connecting with people and helping them connect with others to succeed in life and business. It took many years and different roles in the audiology world to realize this. For the longest time I thought I didn’t have a passion. I even wrote a paper on my lack of passion in graduate school, but after many conversations with different people, I realized helping others is what gets me fired up. Each of my professional roles has allowed me to pursue this passion in a different way. Working with patients one-on-one, developing and implementing a new clinical division, working as a clinical education specialist with providers on patient care, and then moving to the business side of the industry to help audiologists and business owners achieve their goals.
Looking ahead in your career, how do you envision continuing to incorporate generosity into your leadership style and professional endeavors?
I truly believe if you take care of your people and do the right thing, the successes will follow. Engaging with teammates to find out what motivates them and what their goals are is a commitment I make in each new role I take on. It is also crucial to give back to causes. I would not be where I am today without the mentorship or scholarship opportunities I have benefited from over the years. Contributing time, lessons learned, and financial support allow the profession to continue to grow and make progress.
How has your community helped you professionally? Is there a friend (or Delta Zeta sister) that has been behind you every step of the way on your career journey?
I genuinely would not be where I am today without my tribe. I am very fortunate to have a strong network of family friends to coworkers and mentors. Having someone to vouch for you when going for a new role, to practice interview questions with, or eat ice cream and chips when you don’t get the job you were hoping for is invaluable. I want to give a big shout out to my PC ’09 ride or die sister Mary Allen Ramprasad. It has been amazing to grow both professionally and personally alongside her. While I was in audiology graduate school she was in law school, we both took chances and moved far from home to start our careers, and both kept family at the center of our lives. Getting to support each other through the ups and downs of being women in business has been wonderful.
What does empowerment mean to you, and how have you worked to empower others in your career or personal life?
Empowerment to me is the feeling of bravery and confidence to push for goals and take chances knowing that you may not succeed. I work to empower others by being a supportive listener and the go-to friend or coworker when things need to get done or handled. I try to have others backs, be accountable and dependable so they know I will be there for them no matter what.
What does it mean to you to create an environment of belonging for others, and how do you carry that lesson into your personal and professional life?
When you foster an environment of belonging, staff, friends, teammates and other members of groups are more engaged and report having a happier experience. Teams are motivated to contribute more and work towards common goals. To me, creating a place of belonging requires honesty, accountability, recognition, and respect for others’ time and opinions. When people feel comfortable being themselves and like to go to work, so much more can be achieved.