Meet Erica Cunningham, EarthDance Youth Programs Specialist!

Erica Cunningham is a native of St. Louis who retuned to her hometown last summer after 23 years. During that time away she lived overseas for 5 years while serving in the U.S. Navy, then settled in San Diego once military service ended. Erica has a background in Information Technology yet shifted her career toward her passions for food in 2004 when she launched a personal chef service in San Diego. She followed her dream of becoming a chef by enrolling in culinary school in San Francisco. Partially through the program she started to experience debilitating pain in her joints that led to a diagnosis of Stills Disease, this illness rendered her with little to no mobility at times. She found nutrition and alternative medicines to be among the tools that helped heal her body.

Energized by her new lease on life and wellness she returned to college and studied sustainable agriculture and nutrition in San Diego. Erica has volunteered with several urban and sustainable agriculture projects in San Diego as well as engaging youth in hands-on activities. She earned her degree in Environmental Studies with a concentration
in Food Security from San Diego State University. Erica is the Youth Programs Specialist at EarthDance serving as a member with the Missouri Healthy Food Americorps Program and is enthusiastic about cooking and eating food from the farm.