| Erica Lee Carter is a dedicated advocate for children and community empowerment, inspired by her late mother, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. With extensive experience in federal, state, local government, and the non-profit sector, Erica focuses on effecting positive change through impactful policy-making. From 2013 to 2019, she served as an elected Trustee for the Harris County Department of Education.
Since 2020, Erica has led initiatives on economic equity, voting rights, and budget management for Commissioner Rodney Ellis's Policy Division in Harris County Precinct One. Notably, she spearheaded the County's inaugural funding commitment to afterschool programming through County Connections, which saw its funding doubled in summer 2022. She also played a pivotal role in developing the resolution that established the CROWN Act as a countywide employee policy in March 2022. Most recently, Erica contributed to the design of an $18 million Revolving Loan Program to support minority- and women-owned business enterprises (M/WBEs), set to launch in September 2024.
Erica began her career as a First Grade teacher in the Houston Independent School District. After earning her Master's degree, she served as a Budget Analyst for the Governor of New York, focusing on policies to enhance equity in education statewide. Her career further expanded in the Governor's federal advocacy office, where she addressed federal tax policy. In Texas, she was instrumental in expanding the Nurse-Family Partnership through state funding and successful legislative advocacy.
A proud graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University's Terry Sanford School of Public Policy, Erica holds a Master's of Public Policy degree. She resides in the Greater Third Ward Houston area with her husband, Dr. Roy L. Carter, Jr., and their wonderful twins.
As the proud daughter of the late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who served Texas's 18th Congressional District from 1995 to 2024, and Dr. Ewlyn C. Lee, Erica continues her family's legacy of service and advocacy. |