Erika has been making music for as long as she can remember. She sang in church choirs and musicals, took dance classes, played flute in bands and orchestras during high school, and continued her musical studies in college, where she received a degree in Music Therapy from Duquesne University. Shortly after graduation, Erika found her passion for making music with young children at Peabody Preparatory in Baltimore, Maryland. After moving to Colorado Springs, she continued teaching early childhood music classes through Pikes Peak Music Together while raising her own children. In 2018, she began working for Joint Initiatives for Youth and Families, where she spent eight and a half years training and coaching parents and professionals to support children’s development in early language and literacy, music and movement, and social/emotional skills. Now a parent of three adult children, she enjoys singing with the Colorado Springs Chorale and is excited to continue her musical journey with Cultivate Performing Arts Academy and CYT!