Meet the Team: Erica Inman
Meet Erica Inman, BBBS’ Marketing Specialist. Erica started with the agency as a Graphic Design & Marketing Intern in 2022 and was recently brought on staff full time!
FROM CLASSES TO CAREER
Erica spent 7th and 8th grade in Russia. Her family lived there while her dad taught at a business college and worked with homeless children in St. Petersburg. Erica spent the rest of her education locally and studied graphic design at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. It was there that she found out about Big Brothers Big Sisters. During Erica’s last semester at KVCC, she worked on a project for BBBS led by Jessie Reyes, Marketing Coordinator and former Director of Fund Development, Kori Jock.
“They came to the classroom and we had all created different designs for a fall marketing campaign. ,” Erica shares. “We came up with marketing materials like posters and pamphlets, things like that, for events to recruit more Bigs.”
Erica’s designs were Kori and Jessie’s favorite, but for her, that wasn’t the most exciting part. Along with her work being chosen for use at the agency, Erica scored an internship at BBBSMI.
“That was super cool,” Erica shares, smiling.
A VISUAL LEGACY
“The people here are amazing, and I think it’s a great work environment,” Erica says. “Everybody is here for an awesome reason. The mission is great, and I like supporting that visually. I hope my designs make a lasting impression and elevate from where we were before to a new standard.”
In 2023, Erica designed the poster for the agency’s Annual Benefit Dinner, which featured guest speakers from Western Michigan University.
FAMILY TIME
Erica spends most of her free time with her four-year-old son, husband, and parents on both sides of the family.
“I like to spend time in nature as much as possible,” Erica says, which she does by doing everything from walking, hiking, and biking, to camping and boating. “That kind of thing is my favorite.”
Erica hopes to become a Big or part of a Big Family as her son grows up and encourages current Bigs to “just have fun with it” and “incorporate your Little into your life as much as possible.” Being a mom has helped her better understand how kids see the world, which reflects in her advice to Bigs:
“Don’t try to change yourself that much, because kids are so intuitive and so smart. They can see that, and they want you to be your genuine self.”
