Erica Williams was born in Flint, Michigan. With one younger brother, Erica is the oldest of two children in her family.
Erica has been an Arizona resident for thirty-two years. She has travelled to three foreign countries. Although she studied Spanish for five and a half years while in school, she wishes she had kept it up better as today she says she is only fluent in English. She has her children in a language immersion program and will strongly encourage them to continue to use those skills beyond their schooling.
Erica has resided in Michigan, Florida, Illinois and Arizona. She has been in Arizona since she was six and now lives only two miles from where she grew up.
As a teen, Erica dreamed only of growing up. She liked school and learning and working with people. She says where she landed for her career is a perfect fit. She says her original college path in engineering would not have been a good fit.
Erica has been in the Audiology/Hearing Science field for fourteen years in a variety of capacities. First as a clinical audiologist, then concurrently as a PhD student engaged in research, and now as a Clinical Associate Professor at Arizona State University.
Erica has been married to Scott for fifteen years. They have two daughters - Rachel, age 10, and Meredith, age 8. She has two favorite vacation memories. She enjoyed Alaska during the summer, and Main, also during the summer. She remembers lots of tasty lobster in Maine. She says the scenery and climate of somewhere further north are always welcome summer changes. They enjoy picking a new and random place where they've never gone before to enjoy each summer.
Erica has participated in the Guaymas Gift of Hearing mission for the past four years. She says the "trip has been a mind-opening and rewarding experience into other cultures, perspectives, and gratitude." She enjoys volunteering in her children's classrooms or field trips, which she finds rewarding in a different way. Her children feel special because she is there, and she has fun observing "the group dynamic of all the young minds learning to work together."