As Global Co-Lead of the Rainbow Alliance at Merck, Erika has dedicated their time to creating LGBTQ+ inclusive workplaces. They were a local Chapter Lead for the Rainbow Alliance, Elkton Virginia—a largely conservative town. Erika has given talks, hosted speakers, and liaised with external stakeholders to refine overall DE&I strategies and bolster inclusion across Merck. Some of her work includes advocating for gender-neutral bathrooms and safe space training. Since taking on a global leadership position, they have successfully implemented a pronouns field in standard forms and continued to give talks worldwide within the company to spread awareness of transgender issues and methods of allyship. Outside of the workplace, they volunteer with local LGBTQ+ youth in Virginia and ensure they have safe spaces to meet and grow. They have also spoken at and taken part in recruiting at conferences, including oSTEM, Out & Equal, and O4U.
