Erica Schroeder is connected to the internet all day long in her job as a Senior Associate at Gard. But she dreams of someday living off-grid with her partner on a picturesque, wooded property with miniature highland cows, runner ducks, a couple of dogs and a massive greenhouse for all her plants.
That’s not the only thing that might surprise you about Erica. She also can ride a unicycle, loves the Green Bay Packers and has kissed the Blarney Stone in Ireland, giving her the legendary “gift of the gab.”
Erica joined Gard as a Public Affairs Associate in July 2023 and was recently promoted to Senior Associate, helping clients plan community outreach, compile stakeholder lists, track news coverage, and manage projects big and small.
Lucky for us, she’s still fully on the grid and responded to our email with questions to get to know her better.
What do you like about working here? My favorite part of working at Gard is my coworkers. I have never worked anywhere with such supportive coworkers, who I feel are invested in one another’s growth and success.
What work are you most proud of? Working with The Standard on the Volunteer Expo. It’s fun to meet people and learn about different nonprofits throughout the Portland metro area. It’s also a project that a lot of my coworkers participate in, and it’s rewarding for all of us to see it come together every September.
What’s one thing about you that would surprise us? I was in a unicycling club when I was younger. I would go to school early with one of my friends for club practice. The club also unicycled in a parade!
Do you have any pets? I have one dog named Lambeau. He turned 12 last August. He is named after the Green Bay Packers founder and former player/coach, Earl “Curly” Lambeau. I was born into a Packer-loving family and had no choice but to become a fan myself. Go Pack Go!
What are your favorite hobbies?
- Yoga: I have been practicing yoga for about three years and really love the physical and mental health benefits it gives me. I’m currently taking a multi-part workshop on inversions and arm balances.
- Reading: I love reading suspense, thrillers, mysteries or romance novels. I recently started a book club with my sister-in-law, cousin and a few friends.
- Watching women’s sports: I grew up in a big sports family. My brother and I both played many sports growing up, but soccer was our favorite. We love watching the Portland Thorns (I’m a season ticket holder) and the U.S. Women’s National Team. I will always be a huge fan of Megan Rapinoe. I grew up watching her play at University of Portland, and now that she’s retired, I appreciate following her social/political activism.
What’s your favorite book? I have a hard time picking favorites of anything, but I recently read “First Lie Wins”by Ashley Elston and loved it. Right now, I’m reading “The Alice Network” by Kate Quinn. It’s the first historical fiction book I have read, and I’m loving it so far. I have 30 books in my 2025 “To Read” list – let’s see how many I get through!
What is your favorite movie? “10 Things I Hate About You” or “Sleepless in Seattle.”
What’s one of your favorite travel experiences? In late fall 2024, my partner and I went to Ireland. It was my first time there, and I fell in love with the country, specifically the Connemara region on the west coast – and the potato chips. We spent two weeks driving around the country, including Northern Ireland. Highlights of the trip for me were seeing Gougane Barra at sunset, kissing the Blarney Stone, visiting Kylemore Abbey and walking around the Giant’s Causeway. Shoutout to my partner for fearlessly taking the wheel and only driving on the wrong side of the road a couple times.