About the IAPP

Erica Hawkins is an attorney in the Ethics and Administration Division. Erica works on the Privacy, Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Data and Supply Chain Risk Management portfolio. Erica joined USAID as an Attorney Advisor in the General Counsel’s Office in July 2023. She launched a privacy and cybersecurity consulting firm in 2020 and has acted as the Data Privacy Legal and Privacy Program Expert on various government contract vehicles. 

Erica was the Director of Operations (Deputy Chief of Staff) for a Member of the House of Representatives, representing the 30th Congressional District of Texas. Prior to that, Erica also served as an Attorney Advisor at the Social Security Administration. Prior to entering the legal profession, Erica had the unique privilege of working alongside her childhood heroes and role models, when she returned to her high school alma mater as Chair of the Social Studies Department and A.P. Government/History teacher.

Erica was born and raised in Dallas,Texas. Erica received her BS from Florida A&M University (magna cum laude) in 1998 and her JD from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas (2006) where she graded onto The Computer Law Review & Technology Journal. Erica is a member of the Texas State Bar (2007) and is a certified Privacy Law Specialist and holds various other IAPP certifications: CIPP/US, CIPM, and CIPP/G.