Erica studied Physical Education and Geography at Birmingham University where she was first introduced to outdoor activities and took part in a wilderness kayak expedition on the Salmon River in Idaho that was to influence the rest of her life choices and career.
She did a PGCE at Leeds and went on to work in a secondary school and gain a further diploma in Outdoor Education. She became involved with the Yorkshire Schools Exploring Society as a leader and on the committee, taking expeditions to the Grand Canyon, Ellesmere Island in the High Arctic and the Tall Ships Race in the Baltic Sea.
After 4 years of teaching in schools she moved to work as a senior instructor of outdoor education and went on to become Deputy Head and then Head of a large local authority centre for many years.
She took a year out to travel around the world, trekking, climbing, rafting, and adventuring in the Himalayas, New Zealand and other wild places.
Erica enjoys, and has taught, a wide range of outdoor activities. Initially, her main interests were mountaineering and kayaking but in more recent years she has specialised in skiing and sailing. She is an RYA Coach/Assessor and the RYA Training Principal of Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club. She ran a youth development squad and has been volunteering in sail training for many years. She has recently been awarded an RYA Lifetime Achievement Community Award.