Her Story
About Ashley
Ashley Miles works in population health at Humana, a large matrix organization based in Louisville, Kentucky. She has been with the company for three years as of September 11th, having joined straight out of college after earning her bachelor's degree. Her major was vocal performance, and she later minored in Spanish after becoming a fluent Spanish speaker during the pandemic. As a master's student, she also runs her own business providing consulting and PR services. Miles aspires to transition into marketing and internal and external communications and public relations, where she already contributes significantly in her current role to drive positive outcomes for members. She is a member of the Junior League of Louisville and volunteers with La Casita, which supports Latino Americans in the area, and A Hand Up, a nonprofit focused on financial coaching and literacy. Miles attributes her drive to a philosophy of continuous growth, encapsulated in her saying dead things don't grow, and to the confidence she built through competence and keeping promises to herself, instilled by her supportive mother. She advises young women to be in the room where decisions are made, network effectively, influence without authority, and have the audacity to engage with executives.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Ashley
01What do you attribute your success to?
I have this saying called dead things don't grow. Which basically, as long as I'm living, is as long as I'll be learning and as long as I'll be growing. From a very young age I've just always had this thing where I've never been satisfied, you know, even if I get the good grade or I get the job, I'm like, what's next? What more? What people don't understand is what confidence actually is. I find that a lot of people, especially women, we have like a we kind of sort of put on a faux confidence, or confidence is marketed in a certain way, but what I've learned is that confidence comes from competence, and it comes from keeping promises to yourself. It comes from being able to make a promise to yourself to meet a goal. And so, it's like, if I can do that, then what else can I do? Then if I can do that, then my future, anything is within my reach. Nothing is off limits. And definitely, I would say being raised by a mother who instilled in me, there was nothing that, you know, like, I couldn't do. She would support anything, no matter how crazy it sounded, and so I really do take on that attitude in the professional world.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
The best advice is the advice that they don't tell you. Obviously, working hard is imperative and super important, but always try to be in the room. Be in the room where the important people are, be in the room where the decisions are made. Network, learn how to influence without authority, learn how to build rapport, and learn how to build relationships, because that really goes a long way. I tell women they need to have the audacity. Have the audacity, don't be afraid to talk to executives, they're humans just like everyone else.
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