Erin grew up in rural Illinois, the daughter of a teacher and a university secretary. Her parents taught her to dream big. Today, Erin is teaching her young daughter to do the same.
Serving two full terms with AmeriCorps, Erin got her start in front of a high school classroom, helping low-income students get into college. Afterward, she earned a master’s degree in International Development.
Since that time, Erin has had over a decade of experience in the non-profit sector, addressing complex issues like homelessness. She managed a $7 million portfolio of health investments for a United Way and funded programs for youth in the foster care system within a multi-million dollar budget and capital campaign. Today, she works for a global women’s fund where she has managed teams, guided strategic planning processes, and funded innovation and entrepreneurship around the world.
Throughout her career, Erin has been a strong advocate for neighbors. She led a network of soup kitchens, food pantries and homeless shelters, piloted a program to address youth homelessness, and worked for a dance troupe to end child trafficking. Through coalition building at the neighborhood level, she has worked with police to write and implement new policy.
Erin and her partner, Liz, moved to Riverside when Liz got a job at UCR. They have made Riverside their home: buying their first house, having their first baby, and getting involved in their community.
Erin chairs the board of Glocally Connected, a refugee-serving organization in Riverside County, and sits on the Finance Committee. She is on the board of the Riverside Downtown Partnership, where she sits on the Land Use Committee. She’s a member of the Downtown Area Neighborhood Alliance (DANA), the Northside Improvement Association, The Pick Group, and many other community groups.
Erin and Liz live in Heritage Square with their baby daughter, Ramona. Together, they enjoy making music (Erin on piano, Liz on vocals, and Ramona on maraca!), attending library story time, and going for walks on Mt. Rubidoux.
