A true “California girl,” Erin Nicole grew up in Huntington Beach, CA with her parents and older sister. She had a myriad of interests growing up, most notably classical ballet. Her ultimate dream was to become a ballerina and she pursued this goal with the utmost dedication. As a high school senior, she accepted a scholarship to study at the prestigious Marin Dance Theatre in northern California, where she trained intensely in preparation for the arduous professional audition process. She saw how few people were really able to launch a dance career and how unpredictable the experience truly would be. After much thought, Erin realized that ballet was more of a beloved hobby than a true passion and returned home to Huntington Beach. She shifted her focus to a more traditional academic major that would prepare her for a fulfilling career where she could be constantly challenged, able to make a difference in her community and make the best use of all her skills.

Erin graduated from the University of California, Irvine in 2007 with a double-major in Criminology, Law and Society and Psychology and Social Behavior. She was a member of the Criminology Students Association and trained with UCI’s fencing team. She was awarded a research grant by the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) for studying the effects of fraud on the evaluation of health care alongside an esteemed professor. While in school, she kept quite the busy schedule! She performed leading roles in productions such as The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty, amongst many others. She also danced in the Disneyland Resort’s Parade of the Stars in a featured role, as well as in The Glory of Christmas at the famous Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California. Along with dancing, Erin carried a full class load as well as working as a building supervisor in UCI’s recreation center. During her senior year, she competed in and won the Miss Huntington Beach Scholarship pageant. At the Miss California pageant, she won a talent award for her performance of The Swan.

Erin has decided to pursue a career in law. As an attorney, she feels she could use all of her strengths to pursue a fulfilling and challenging career. She feels that the law is incredibly pervasive into things seemingly far removed from it, including ballet and pageantry. She believes that the law exists to protect our best interests and that people need someone to represent them who can understand where they are coming from. She knows that her diverse background and lifetime of experiences give her a unique viewpoint. Involvement in something that has a significant impact on all aspects of daily life is one of Erin’s ultimate quests. She is most excited to see where this journey will take her.