Erica dedicates her professional life to improving how the family, school, and community work collaboratively to improve access to high quality care for young children and families. She does this through her work in University-based research and as a full-spectrum doula.In her role as Associate Director of the Center for Mental Health at the University of Pennsylvania, Erica manages a portfolio of community-partnered research projects with a focus on promoting equity through the dissemination of evidence-based practices in under-resourced public schools. Through that role, Erica has had the privilege of working with Philadelphia public schools since 2008, where she contributed to curriculum development & implementation initiatives, as well as teacher coaching. She has also been trained in developmentally appropriate practice for young children with disabilities.Erica's work as a community doula is a natural extension of her interest in the family, as primary caretakers are the first, and most important, teachers. She believes that a positive prenatal experience, quality postpartum care, and a supportive community network provide the stable foundation necessary for parent and child to successfully navigate early childhood and beyond. Erica is also deeply commited to promoting care as a priority, as caring for individuals through childhood, illness, disability, elderhood, and death is the unseen, devalued labor that holds our communities together. Through local and national advocacy efforts, Erica believes we can help caregivers retain the dignity and financial security they deserve, all while strengthening our communities in the process.In her free time, you will find Erica exploring West Philly flora and fauna with her spouse, dog, and two children. She also collects books that she hopes to have time to read someday.