Erika Nowak

While Erika and I have been working in the same department for several years, I only got to know her better at the first Women Gather event, hosted by the wonderful Felicia Butts. 

I ask Erika about her childhood, and she tells me about being from a traditional Mexican family, where her parents didn't have many opportunities for education in their childhood—her mom only went to the sixth grade, and her dad stopped at the second, having to stop studying to work manual labor jobs. 

As the oldest child with an eight-year age gap between her and her siblings, she quickly assumed a caregiver role, always helping and babysitting. Her mother's humor and perseverance, even in difficult times, has left a lasting impression on her.

In high school, she discovered a passion for writing and aspired to be a journalist, going to Columbia College wanting to be an investigative reporter. Life had different plans, and she got married when she was 18, and earned a bachelor's degree in human services. Her strong connections with people and her drive to push herself led her to pursue an MBA five years ago, stepping completely out of her comfort zone and making a significant career shift.

Her professional journey is marked by her immigrant  parents' emphasis on strong work ethic and the value of stability over risk. She witnessed her father's struggles with inconsistent work as a carpenter and her mother's strength in getting the family through tough financial times when there wasn’t enough to get food and groceries -  she worked for 43 years at Christ Hospital. 

Erika and her husband who was in the Marine Corps were in North Carolina, and returned to Chicago. Erika's career in social services began 18 years ago. She worked her way up from a receptionist to a director of programs for job placement assistance. This challenging and meaningful work paved the way for her MBA and a stint at National Louis University (NLU).

At NLU she worked with Chicago Public Schools on the Teacher Residency program – she applied to work with the team but did not get the job the first time. She highlights how Felicia’s commitment to keep her in mind for future opportunities is what eventually made her most fulfilling role happen.

Working at CPS helps her make a difference in a school district that is serving her daughter, Olivia, whose school is a training site for Resident Teachers (in training). She is particularly passionate about instilling these values in her daughter, Olivia, emphasizing the importance of knowing where they come from and the significance of their ancestry. Erika, born in Mexico, navigated the challenges of obtaining citizenship and now holds dual citizenship, a journey she hopes will inspire her daughter to do the same.

Personally she tells me that she is a homebody with extroverted tendencies, and  loves spending time with her family, which includes her husband and artistic daughter. She cherishes the memory of her mother, who passed away three years ago and was her best friend.She enjoys traveling, particularly to Mexico to visit her father who moved back.

Looking ahead, she looks forward to continuing to build on the meaningful work she gets to do, having more balance and peace in her life. Her mother continues to be one of the strongest influences still, she passed away at 64 and having seen the hard work she did for their family, pushes Erika too. She reminisces about how her mother always told her how proud she was of her. 

As always, learning about her journey made my day and life a little richer, and I hope it does that for you as well.