Name: Erica
Tenure: 2nd Season
Hometown: Tracy
Occupation: Process Engineer
College: UC Berkeley
Degree: B.S. Chemistry
GR Leadership Position: Rookie Assistant - I get the great pleasure of working with the rookies to make sure they feel prepared for game day and included in team culture.
Hobbies: Ballroom dancing, working out, hiking, and reading.

Favorites
Song: Sir Duke
Movie: Crazy Rich Asians
Food: Sushi
Travel Destination: Thailand
Color: Ocean Blue
Dream Job: Gold Rush Cheerleader

What is your personal motto?
Pressure is a privilege. Pressure is a sign of value and a path to growth. We feel pressure because we care, and how lucky are we to possess the capacity to care?

Where were you born and where do you live now?
I am a Northern California native! I may be biased, but we have the most beautiful coastal towns, national parks, and natural wonders. I currently reside in San Francisco, and I've been loving the cultural and ecological diversity that the city offers.

Tell us more about your job.
I work in the semiconductor industry, optimizing a process called epitaxial deposition for memory applications. I love that this job challenges me to think outside of the box and provides me with the opportunity to work with engineers from all over the world.

Do you have any pets? Tell us about your favorite furry friends…
My family owns a golden retriever named Kona. He is the happiest dog you will ever meet, and he will never turn down an opportunity to say hi to strangers. He's known around the neighborhood for sporting a 49ers bandanna and chasing stray cats.

What's something our fans would be surprised to learn about you?
I go from wearing my Gold Rush uniform on Sundays to a bunny suit designed for Class 100 cleanrooms on Mondays. To maintain an environment of 100 particles 0.5 micrometers or larger per cubic foot of air, my personal protective equipment leaves only a small portion of my face uncovered!

What's the energy like in the Gold Rush locker room on game day?
I absolutely love the energy in the locker room on game day. We are cheerleaders for each other just as much as we are cheerleaders for the Faithful. That means we're helping each other with hair and makeup, making each other laugh, and having magical moments of camaraderie.

Who is YOUR biggest cheerleader?
My biggest cheerleaders are my parents. They have cheered me on at every recital, competition, and football game since I have started my dance career. They've always led me to believe that I can achieve anything that I put my mind to. Catch them at home games with big head cutouts of me!

How has being a part of Gold Rush affected your life?
Being a Gold Rush cheerleader is something that I have always wanted to do, but never thought was possible, and it has affected my life in so many positive ways. I now have 31 best friends who form the strongest support system that I will ever have. I know that I'm going to look back at my memories with them as some of the happiest moments of my life.

What do you like most about the 49ers organization?
I love the motto "Faithful to the Bay." To me, that encapsulates all that the organization does to give back to the community that supports them. This includes educating and empowering our youth, providing opportunities for historically underrepresented communities, and finding ways to celebrate diversity. Having grown up in the Bay and seeing their impact, the 49ers and the Faithful have always felt like family.

Tell us about your favorite community appearance that you've attended as a Gold Rush Cheerleader.
My favorite community event has been Jr. Gold Rush. It was so inspiring to see how passionate, smart, and talented the juniors are. Their happiness was contagious and their silliness left me giggling for days after. I feel so lucky to have shared those moments with them on the field.