Erika is the Director of Technology at JUST Community, a nonprofit microlender in Texas that has invested $45 million in the dreams of more than 5,000 women entrepreneurs — no credit score required. She leads the technology infrastructure behind JUST's trust-based lending model, building the data systems and machine learning tools that help community directors show up for members before a crisis hits and open doors when they're ready to grow.

Erika joined JUST as its second employee, left to complete the MBAi program at Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management and work as a product manager at Adobe, and returned to lead technology — bringing enterprise-grade thinking to a mission that has always been ahead of its time. Her work sits at the intersection of responsible AI and financial inclusion, and she is focused on becoming a leading voice in that space as JUST's model grows beyond Texas.

Originally from El Paso, Erika splits her time between Texas and New York. She is happiest exploring a new city on foot or finding the best meal she didn't know she needed.