Erika was born and raised in Washington Heights, New York City. She currently serves as an education consultant to school districts across the United States to ensure all high school students have access to the most rigorous coursework. She attended Dartmouth College for her undergraduate studies where she studied Sociology, African American Studies, Human Development and Education. She completed a teaching residency with the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education while teaching World Geography and History at an all-boys school in Baltimore. She has independently assisted students through the college application process for the past seven years.

“I believe every person has a riveting and unique story to tell. My job as a college essay coach is to find that story alongside students who may need an extra push to find the courage and verbiage to do so. I enjoy the early stages of ideation the most because I am consciously reminded of how promising our future is given students’ life stories. The reflection students are able to have through this process reveal bits of themselves they may have never taken note of before, and to me that is the beauty of storytelling and finding yourself.”