Erika has been a proud educator for over twenty years, serving in a variety of roles. She currently serves the Assistant Superintendent for the Ashland School District in beautiful Southern Oregon. She grew up in Portland, OR, graduating from the University of Oregon with a Master’s in Education in 2001. She dove head first into her career as a special education teacher at the middle school level. In this work, she endeavored to provide each student with the individualized supports needed to reach their limitless potential. This continued to inspire her when her family relocated to Southern Oregon, and she became a special education teacher on special assignment serving K-12 students.

She earned her administrative credential in 2012 at Southern Oregon University, and transitioned to an administrative role at award winning Ashland High School as assistant principal and then principal. She had the great privilege of teaching and learning alongside a tremendous group of educators for seven joy-filled years. Following a desire to work with our youngest students, she moved to the elementary level as principal in a neighboring district, before being called to have a broader impact at the district office level, overseeing special education, counseling and behavioral health, social emotional learning, and elementary programs. Supporting all students through individualized supports continues to fuel her today, serving as both her why and her passion.

Erika is the co-author of Connecting Through Conversation: A Playbook for Talking with Students and has developed and led workshops and professional development activities addressing a multitude of topics in education, communication, and leadership. These include School Improvement Science; Universal Design for Learning; Special Education; Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion; Orientation and Training for Administrators; Leadership; Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment; Family Outreach and Engagement, and of course- how to connect through conversation in schools.

Erika lives in Southern Oregon with her extremely supportive husband, two remarkable teenage children, and a very mischievous cat. She feels especially fortunate to live in the community she serves.

In this episode, we discuss:

Erika’s educational journey and what led her to co-author a book,
The importance of connection in our schools and the need to include all adults who talk with kids in the development
Erika shares insights into her passion for serving educators to better serve children.

Connect with Erika:⁠

Connecting Through Conversations: A Playbook for Talking with Students

Connect with Sarah Johnson:

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Jolt 32: AWE Inspiring Recommendations

In AWE Podcast with Sarah JohnsonBy Sarah JohnsonMay 15, 2020