Women in Real Estate 2020: American Realty Advisors’ Jessica Harrison Builds Communities

Jessica Harrison serves as Senior Director, Investments at American Realty Advisors (ARA) in Los Angeles. She joined the firm in 2015 as an acquisitions associate while pursuing a master’s degree in business administration from University of Southern California. Since joining the firm, she has been promoted three times.

Harrison has transacted on more than $1 billion of office, industrial, retail and multi-family investments nationwide on behalf of ARA’s investment clients and is responsible for new equity real estate investments in Texas as well as managing ARA’s national industrial and multi-family partner relationships.

She’s successfully developed numerous loyal and productive relationships with key industry participants, including lead investment brokers, leasing agents, property managers, and operators active in her geographic markets, as well as regional and national development partners. These relationships have resulted in numerous direct and attractive investment opportunities for ARA’s clients.

In addition to her senior role sourcing and closing new investments, Harrison provides critical leadership to junior members of the investment team — from sponsoring summer interns to training and mentoring the pool of investment analysts and associates — ensuring they develop not only fundamental investment underwriting skills and understanding of key due diligence practices, but also the art of negotiating a deal.

These are just a few of the reasons we chose Harrison as one of the 2020 Women in Real Estate Award winners in California. Connect Media’s Women in Real Estate Awards honor the achievements and inspirational stories of women who have reached respected positions of leadership and play key mentorship roles for others.

Harrison contributes to the broader commercial real estate industry through passionate and active mentorship of young professionals aspiring a career in real estate. She has been a frequent guest lecturer at USC’s Master in Real Estate Development classes, has participated in numerous panels and networking events aimed at helping young women enter the real estate profession, has personally and professionally risked her reputation in support of young women pursuing real estate careers, and she has lobbied for ways to expose more high school girls and undergraduate women to the opportunities afforded by the real estate profession.

Another example of Harrison’s community-building efforts was last year, amongst all of her numerous job and personal responsibilities, she took time to identify and coordinate an ARA community volunteer event with The Giving Spirit, a local non-profit that provides homeless individuals with essential personal items to help sustain them through the winter season.

For comments, questions or concerns, please contact Dennis Kaiser