As Associate Vice President of Strategic Communications, Erica Van Ross leads integrated communications, drawing on more than two decades of communications, public relations, and journalism experience to strengthen The Leadership Academy’s visibility and reputation. She oversees internal and external communications, content strategy, and brand marketing, ensuring mission-aligned storytelling showcases the organization’s professional learning and coaching expertise, deepening connection with education leaders nationwide.
Erica joined The Leadership Academy in 2023, after serving in public and private sector leadership roles. She was previously HP Inc.’s Head of CEO Communications, where she led communications for the largest acquisition in HP’s history. Before that, she was the Head of Communications & Community Engagement for Schnuck Markets, leading teams managing corporate narrative and philanthropy. Erica was also previously Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility Communications for Wells Fargo, leading messaging for the bank’s philanthropic initiatives. Prior to that, she led communications for the Metropolitan Police Department in the City of St. Louis.
Before moving into communications, Erica was a television journalist in St. Louis, Missouri and Syracuse, New York. She began her career in higher education, recruiting first-generation college students to the University of Kansas.
Erica is a graduate of Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications, with a Master of Science in Journalism. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Interpersonal & Organizational Communication from the University of Kansas, and earned an Accreditation in Public Relations from the Public Relations Society of America. She’s based in Charlotte, North Carolina.
