My personal leadership journey
In May 2016, I received an email a few days after teaching my first class at the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business.
Dear Erica, You are so much more than a coach and professor—
I wish we could call you something like…Freedom Fighter.
You have my deep heartfelt appreciation.
Thank you for an amazing experience this weekend.
I was stunned. I had never thought of myself as a Freedom Fighter. Who does?! It was an identity that I didn’t realize was mine. Until it was voiced and mirrored back to me in that moment.
Being “called out” forced me to reflect on what exactly is the freedom I’m fighting for. What I realized is this:
Whatever form my work takes, what inspires me is consistent.
I believe it’s possible to break free from unconscious reactivity that undermines our individual and collective potential.
The path to this belief—and my work empowering leaders—comes directly from my own personal leadership journey as a Chinese American woman.
I spent the first 40 years of my life trapped in an unconscious cycle attempting to calm down other people’s nervous systems. (For example, my immigrant parents’ anxiety about starting my college prep before I turned 3-years old.)
This disconnected me from my own purpose and potential for decades. I did not find the life skills I needed in my 15+ years of school. I didn’t find them at Stanford University.
Born from this struggle was a self-directed path seeking concrete skills, approaches, and practices, that helped me transform shame and self-hate into inspired purpose – and meaningful, connected relationships anchored in self-worth.
I’ve been compelled to synthesize and share what has been most transformative for me, so I can help others manifest their own version of freedom – and empowered, grounded, and conscious leadership.
Personal Documentaries
Honor & Gratitude
My own path of growth and leadership development has not come without challenge, guidance, and support. I am grateful for my colleagues, students, and clients whom I learn from endlessly!
I honor my teachers and mentors who have inspired and shaped me - and informed the Designed For Connection methodology - across decades, disciplines, and traditions.
1985 Mr. Kirkpatrick: High school English teacher
1988 Wonnie Tarinchareon: My first spiritual teacher, a friend’s aunt who was a mystic
1989 Joanna Macy: Author, eco-philosopher, systems-thinker, engaged Buddhist activist, first person who normalized the grief I felt from the disconnection of our world
1993 Tommy Woon: Former Director of Diversity and First-Gen Programs at Stanford University; former Dean of Multicultural Education at Stanford University, and Dartmouth and Macalester colleges; visionary healer who introduced me to healing chronic trauma through somatic approaches
1997 Orin Martin, who taught me the magic of how to grow apples, and John Farrell; Master gardeners and teachers, UC Santa Cruz Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems
2008 Scott Bristol: Author, lecturer at University of Applied Sciences in Austria, former lecturer at Stanford GSB, consultant on leadership and diversity
2008 Larry Dressler: Founder Blue Wing Consulting; author, facilitator, leadership coach and consultant, source of inspiration for using power and privilege to create a more just and humane world
2009 Leslie Chin, Ed Batista: Lecturers at Stanford GSB, supporters of my growth and development
2012 Strozzi Institute: Somatic approaches to embodied leadership
2012 generative somatics: Somatics and Trauma Training
2015 Jeremy Taylor: Author, former instructor at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, founding member of the International Association for the Study of Dreams
2018 Sadhguru: Global leader, visionary, mystic, founder of international non-profit, Isha Foundation, focused on social revitalization; education; stewardship of the environment; leadership and well-being sourced from internal resilience
2019 Amina Knowlan: Founder of Matrix Leadership Institute, systems-thinker
2019 Victor Lee Lewis: Founder/Director of Radical Resilience Institute, progressive life coach, trainer, speaker, healing justice educator
