Maria Royer, Principal
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Maria has over 30 years of diverse commercial real estate experience in disciplines ranging from development, sales and leasing, to asset management and finance. Maria and the Real Retail team exclusively represent over three-quarters of a million square feet of urban mixed-use centers and new community and lifestyle centers in the greater Seattle area including past and present notable projects such as Amazon’s World Headquarters, Rainier Square, Kirkland Urban, Ballard Blocks I & II, Everett Riverfront, The Meridian, 7th & Pine and TwoPine. Maria’s past experience also includes the successful lease-up of ground up developments including of Green Lake Village, Grand Ridge Plaza in Issaquah, Kent Station in Kent, and Bella Bottega in Redmond where she played a leadership role in pre-development, pre-marketing and transaction phase of the development cycle on each project. Maria’s present and past experience is also comprised of facilitating several specialty retailers and restaurants in their expansion strategies in the Pacific Northwest including: Equinox, Soul Cycle, Shake Shack, Sephora, Athleta, Old Navy, William Sonoma, West Elm, Trader Joe’s and The Container Store.

Using the knowledge and expertise she acquired while working on a wide range of projects of all sizes throughout the region, Maria provides her clients with extensive information and awareness about the unique retail environment in the Pacific Northwest. Maria approaches each assignment as a partnership to ensure long-term project and tenant success. While working at Wright Runstad & Company Maria provided retail leasing, operations and property management services for their Class A office portfolio. This experience gives Maria valuable insight and lends a holistic approach to the challenges of leasing. While at Teranomics Retail Services, Maria was a strong contributor to the Seattle Office’s overall success and helped instigate the Teranomics merger with Federal Realty. Maria later acquired the rights to the Seattle Office of Teranomics which she parlayed into a partnership with Blatteis Realty for several years. In 2004 Maria formed Real Retail and has since maintained a dominant role in the retail landscape in the Greater Seattle Region.

Prior positions include a Sales & Marketing Associate with Colliers - The Seeley Company in Los Angeles. While earning a degree in Business Administration, with a dual emphasis in Finance & Marketing at the University of Southern California, Maria also held a variety of internship positions including an advertising and marketing internship at New World Pictures in Los Angeles, an industrial brokerage internship at Grubb & Ellis Brokerage firm in Torrance, and also worked as a retail sales associate at Ann Taylor in Century City where she was a top producer selling to entertainment industry wardrobers.

Maria is a past member of the Board of Directors for Plymouth Housing Group, where she served as Co-Chair for three years for Seattle Dances, a high-profile event where local celebrities and professional dancers perform in support of Plymouth Housing Group. She is on the President’s Round Table of the Downtown Seattle Association (DSA) and a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). Maria grew up in Seattle where she attended Forest Ridge Girls School and Seattle Preparatory School.

Andrew Miller, Senior Vice President
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Since joining Real Retail over eight years ago, Andrew has put his years of experience to work for clients in two main disciplines.  The first is the entitlement to eventual lease-up phase of large mixed-use developments like Kirkland Urban and Ballard Blocks I & II (450K+ SF of retail).  Andrew’s development background and the firm’s retail expertise create a rare value proposition for Landlords and developers to have a distinct retail vision for new product that extends from macro-level positioning and design to micro-level review of demising plans, common area space, landlord delivery conditions and center functionality.  Andrew and team continue this process with several million new square feet of new development across the region.  This experience also lends itself to re-positioning of retail assets, like his current work at Renton Landing, Alderwood Parkway Plaza and on the Metropolitan Tract; the University of Washington’s storied 10-acres of property in the heart of downtown Seattle’s retail core. 

The second discipline is the development and execution of market strategies for Tenants looking to enter the market.  Utilizing their experience, and proprietary demographic software, Andrew and the firm excel in helping Tenant’s find the right locations with a high-level strategy for store spacing and placement.  As the master broker for Amazon Go on the West Coast, Andrew led a team for the roll-out in WA and CA.  Andrew and team continued that master broker role with the roll-out of At Home in WA and OR.  In the greater Washington market, Andrew led the full roll-out of new to market concepts like Amazon Fresh, HomeStreet Bank, Valvoline Instant Oil Change and Mosaic Salon + Spa.  Additional former and current Tenants include Aesop, Scotch & Soda, ModShop, Orogold, Brilliant Earth, Sherpa, Public Storage, Salt & Straw, Parachute Home, Rain or Shyne and Bellevue Brewing Co.

Prior to joining Real Retail, Andrew led the JLL Retail Services division in Seattle.  At JLL, Andrew provided corporate services focused on site selection, acquisition, disposition and renewals for clients such as AMC Theaters, Best Buy, Bank of America, Subway and KeyBank.  Andrew’s skills and expertise provided his clients with short and long-term strategic planning to achieve their real estate goals throughout the Pacific Northwest. 

Before returning to Seattle and joining JLL, Andrew was responsible for the negotiation and ultimate delivery of several million square feet of retail, office and public sector space for both new construction and redevelopment in the Bay Area.  Andrew has a strong background in construction management, entitlements and the development cycle as a whole.  Andrew earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Washington in psychology.  He is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and NAIOP. 

Jack Quigley, Senior Vice President
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Jack has spent the bulk of his career driving new store development for growth retailers, both public and private – with comprehensive expertise in all stages of the new store life cycle, from market planning to store opening. His in-house experience provides a platform for client service not typically seen in brokers, with expertise in retail finance, new store underwriting, market planning, development management, and deal negotiation.

At MOD Pizza, Jack led new store development in the Western U.S., the company’s fastest-growing region during its period of fastest growth. MOD was named the Fastest Growing Restaurant in the U.S. each of the years he was there (2014-2019). Here he led growth in Washington, Oregon, Northern California, Utah, Idaho, and Montana.

Jack joined Amazon’s physical stores retail team in its early stages, working on various concepts, and focused primarily on the Go concept – leading new store development in Washington and California, including development of all site selection methodology for Go’s suburban format.

Most recently Jack led global real estate strategy and U.S. new store development with GameStop, in conjunction with the retailer’s ongoing repositioning. His work here included portfolio management, market planning, strategic planning, and new store development across the U.S.

Prior to moving in-house, Jack worked as an Associate in Newmark’s Seattle office, where he focused primarily on retail tenant representation. Jack is a proud graduate of Washington State University (the Harvard of the West), where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with an emphasis in Pre-Law and a minor in Philosophy.

Deborah Ross, Senior Vice President
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Deborah Ross has over 20 years of experience in development, commercial real estate and retail. Deborah led leasing and property management for Pine Street Group, a Seattle developer recognized for transformative downtown projects. Most recently, Deborah's role on the Seattle Convention Center Summit spanned a wide range of responsibilities from restaurant leasing to entitlements.

Previously, Deborah has led retail leasing efforts at Westfield Southcenter, Vancouver Mall, Pacific Place Shopping Center, and street retail properties in downtown Seattle, negotiating deals with local and national tenants from Tom Douglas Restaurants to the first Arc’Teryx store in the US. A native Seattleite and strong advocate for downtown, Deborah has managed the Downtown Seattle Association’s Retail Program, focused on improving Seattle's retail core. Early in her career, Deborah spent time managing sales and marketing for eastside condominium developments and worked in various roles at Nordstrom and Nordstrom.com.

Deborah is a University of Washington graduate and earned a Certificate in Commercial Real Estate from UW. Deborah has served as chair of the Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Community Outreach Committee, and on the International Council of Shopping Center’s (ICSC) NextGen Committee. She is currently on the Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) Programs Committee and is an active volunteer for Plymouth Housing. In her free time, you can find her training for marathons and cheering on the Blanchet High School cross country and track teams.

Katie Parsons Waters, Senior Associate Broker
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Katie joined Real Retail as an Associate in June of 2015 after working as an intern with the firm while attending Chapman University.  While at Chapman, Katie earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, in public relations and advertising. 

After graduating from Chapman, Katie joined digital advertising agency, Essence, the largest independent buyer of digital media.  As Associate Media Planner at Essence, Katie focused on media planning and mobile advertising strategies for clients including eBay, Walgreens, Realtor.com and DoubleDown.  Her experience in advertising spans media planning, campaign management, reporting, data analytics and financial reconciliation.

Katie brings creativity and strategic thinking to her role with Real Retail.  As a strong communicator, she excels in client relations and project management.  She looks forward to exceeding the needs of her clients through hard work and building strong relationships in the industry.

Eric Zuehlsdorff, Associate Broker
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Eric joined Real Retail in 2017 as a transaction coordinator. He was promoted to Director of Client Services in 2020. His dedication to exceeding our client’s goals and building and maintaining client relationships at Real Retail have elevated him to be an integral part of the Real Retail team.  

Prior to joining Real Retail, Eric gained extensive professional experience over six years at Nordstrom in various roles in both Seattle and Honolulu. His success as a salesperson, department manager, and personal stylist gives him valuable customer service insight and accountability. His experience building and teaching teams as well as learning exemplary service standards from an industry leader, has shaped Eric into a customer-focused and flexible asset to our team. 

Eric is on the Real Retail teams representing Amazon Go, Amazon Books and 4Star, Amazon Fresh, AT&T, Pet Supplies Plus, Wag N’ Wash, GameStop, Salt & Straw, Restore Hyper Wellness, and Bouqs as well as numerous landlord representation assignments with CIM, Unico, and Stellar Holdings among others.

Eric attended both Washington State University and the University of Hawaii-Manoa where he studied Communication and Political Science. He is a member of ICSC.

Qiaoqiao Yang, Marketing Analyst
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Qiaoqiao joined our team as the Marketing and Graphics Coordinator in May 2014. She is responsible for creating and designing all of Real Retail’s marketing materials including project packages, tour books, aerials and maps. Qiaoqiao provides extensive, highly specialized research and comprehensive demographic information. Qiaoqiao’s strong attention to detail ensures the marketing materials always have the most current and up to date information. Her proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and high work efficiency continues to impress us.

Qiaoqiao lived in Shanghai before coming to Seattle in 2012. She earned her degree in Fashion Design & Engineering from Donghua University. During her undergraduate studies, Qiaoqiao did an internship as an Assistant Fashion Editor at Rayli Magazine. Upon graduating, she changed her career path to Marketing and Public Relations. In 2013, Qiaoqiao did an internship at Shanghai’s Fleishman Hillard, which is one of the world’s top 3 Public Relations firms according to Holmes Report. There she supported Tiffany & Co., Johnnie Walker and Parker Pen. Qiaoqiao completed her MPA graduate degree at the University of Washington in June 2014.

Nicole Carlson, Controller
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Nicole joined the Real Retail team as Operations Manager in 2018. Nicole manages schedule and logistics coordination, project management, and accounting as well as the day-to-day operations of the office to ensure our brokers meet client goals and deadlines. Prior to joining Real Retail, Nicole managed accounting and operational roles for the Alaska State Legislature as well as a local Seattle law firm, interior design firm and an apparel manufacturing and retail company. Nicole earned a Bachelor of Science degree in social sciences from Washington State University and a Master of Legal Studies from Washington University in St. Louis.

Kelley O'Connor, Transaction Manager
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Kelley joined Real Retail as an Operations, Marketing & Transaction Manager in March of 2022 after a nine-year pause to focus on her two children and busy household. Kelley manages the marketing and transaction team logistics as well as the operations of the office. 

Prior to her sabbatical, Kelley holds 20 years of commercial real estate experience in asset management, leasing and shopping center marketing. Kelley represented Terramar in leasing properties in Washington, Oregon and Colorado for five years. Prior to Terramar, Kelley worked for Tarragon in a leasing and marketing role. Kelley’s various marketing positions include Redmond Town Center Marketing Director, SeaTac Mall Marketing Manager, and South Hill Mall Marketing Assistant. This diverse and extensive experience in marketing, negotiations, asset management and communication help round out the Real Retail team.

Kelley received her Bachelor of Science from University of Colorado, Boulder where she studied Advertising and Communication. She is active in several volunteer organizations providing volunteer assistance to Food Lifeline, Westside Baby, King County Humane Society and many more. In her off time, you can find her with her family hiking, biking or skiing just about year-round.  

Kelsea Asher, Operations Manager
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Kelsea joined Real Retail in April of 2023 as the Operations Manager. Aside from managing the internal team logistics, she also oversees the day-to-day office organization, scheduling, and account management. Kelsea plays a pivotal role in ensuring the Real Retail team runs smoothly while providing exceptional service to our clients.  

Prior to Real Retail, Kelsea’s career has been centered around the hospitality industry, as well as administrative operations management for a variety of consulting companies.

Kelsea received her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Washington State University. Aside from Real Retail, she also operates her own Personal Chef business, serving multiple families throughout the Seattle area on a weekly basis. In her off time, you can find Kelsea tracking down the best happy hours in town, enjoying the outdoors, and traveling with her husband.

Garrett Sheets, Marketing and Transaction Coordinator
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Garrett joined Real Retail in November 2023, after recently graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Economics from Principia College. During his time in college, he co-directed the longest run student lead conference in the country, The Public Affairs Conference, while managing digital marketing operations for the campus Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Garrett also completed an internship for the Principia Institutional Investments Office where he generated a comprehensive analysis of ESG investment initiatives, while tracking stock distributions and trade confirmations.

Prior to working at Real Retail, Garrett managed digital marketing, client outreach, and program development for CECCOT, an ecotourism non-profit based in Puerto Maldonado, Peru. He has since worked in digital asset management, utilizing AI powered tools and smart filters to organize extensive databases of imagery and graphics. Garrett’s proficiency in the Adobe Creative Suite and file management brings organization and efficiency to his role at Real Retail.

During his free time he can be found at birdwatching at local parks, or photographing weddings with his fiancé.