Run the Future is a joint social venture between Cambiar Education and Formation Ventures that offers identity-affirming and highly engaging online and self-paced entrepreneurial learning experiences focused on BIPOC youth and young adults.

Erika is an intern for the Run the Future product team, conducting research to back up the decision-making for the Run the Future curriculum enhancements. In addition, she is a near-peer mentor for Run the Future, helping learners refine their pitch decks and presentation skills.

In addition to her work with Run the Future, Erika is also a proud Cambiar Master Innovators Program (MIP) Alum.

When Erika joined the Stockton Master Innovator Program as a junior in high school, she discovered a passion for mentoring during a capstone project where she became a peer-peer mentor within her cohort. During this time she also realized how transformative education could be while working on her own passion project centered around career exploration for youth.

Growing up in an ethnically diverse city, Erika has always found joy in forming connections and getting to know people from various backgrounds. This upbringing has made her work as a near-peer mentor and intern fulfilling. She considers herself a lifelong learner and loves that her work allows her to gain new knowledge and make meaningful connections.

Erika is currently an undergraduate student at the University of California, San Diego. Here she spends time as part of the mentoring component of Kaibigang Pilipino. In this role, she extends mentorship and college resources to high school students in the San Diego area, aspiring to elevate the higher education rates of first-generation, low-income students. She is dedicated to growth, mentorship, and making a positive impact wherever she can.