Meet Erica!
Erica began her career with United Way MV in October 2020 as an R4K (Ready for Kindergarten) Family School Navigator, bringing her B.A. in Human Services and 12 years of experience working with children and families to the team. Prior to working at United Way, she was facilitating Nurturing Parenting programs.
United Way is a leading problem solver, innovator, and connector in the Mohawk Valley. Erica considers herself a “connector” and says “I strive to help others connect to services and learn about what their options are. Since starting my position at United Way, I have been able to connect families to services within our community.”
When asked why she likes to work for United Way, Erica says “From day one, I have been welcomed and supported by United Way.” Her favorite thing about her career is being able to support children and their families. Erica connects with her community by volunteering as an AYSO soccer coach, making donations to local events, and adopting families for Christmas. Some positive highlights of 2020 for Erica were spending time with her family and enjoying the fresh produce from the garden she built.
Some fun facts about Erica are:
- Erica’s favorite pizza is cheese pizza is from Francos in Ilion.
- She makes her own half-moons.
- Her favorite memory of the area is hiking with her family, especially at Russell Park.
- Erica’s favorite community event is the food truck event in Ilion during the summer.
- Her hobbies include crafting, baking, and watching her children play sports. Her favorite thing to bake is cookies.
- She’s a dog AND cat person – her family has two dogs but she would love to get a cat.
- Erica credits her mom as her hero who taught her to be strong and fearless.
- Her “aha” moment in life was “When I left a job I loved, and realized it was time for bigger changes. Self-reflection has truly helped me to understand myself better and how to continue to grow personally and professionally”, says Erica.
- Erica’s favorite genre of music is country and she would rock out to “Sweet Home Alabama” at Karaoke night!
- Her spirit animal is a bird because they see the world in so many different ways.
Would She Rather?
We asked Erica some “Would You Rather” questions, and here’s how she answered:
- She would rather spend the rest of her life in an RV than on a sailboat.
- She would rather watch the movie than read the book.
- She would rather freeze time than travel in time.
- She would rather have a golden voice than a silver tongue.
- She would rather drive an underwater car than a flying carpet.
