Erica Andino is a proud Nuyorican, a Puerto Rican New Yorker born and raised in Brooklyn. She has made Salt Lake City home while staying deeply connected to the culture and community values that shaped her. Erica has spent more than 18 years working with youth and families across direct service, community partnerships, and systems-level work. Her own experiences growing up in poverty, experiencing foster care, and navigating complex systems are a big part of why she chose this field.
Today, she serves as a Senior Community Program Manager for the YouthCity Employment Program, creating opportunities for teens through employment, mentorship, skill-building, and community-based initiatives. She is also completing her Master of Social Work and graduate practicum. Outside of work and school, Erica loves traveling and experiencing different cultures and traditions. For her, youth development is more than a career, it is personal. She wants young people, especially those who come from backgrounds similar to hers, to see someone who made it through difficult circumstances and created a different future for herself. Whether she is connecting a young person to an opportunity, helping them navigate a system, or simply planting the idea that more is possible for them, Erica wants them to know that where they start does not determine where they finish.