Erica Stokes
Erica Stokes is a nonprofit leader, educator, and community strategist currently serving as Director of Business Development and Community Relations for the Community Service Board of Middle Georgia. In this role, she leads efforts to strengthen partnerships, advance strategic initiatives, and expand access to behavioral health services across a 16-county region in Middle Georgia.
Born and raised in Wheeler County, Erica’s journey is deeply rooted in community, perseverance, and purpose. A devoted stay-at-home mother of four for many years, she dedicated her early adult life to raising her children and building a strong foundation for her family. At the age of thirty, she made the intentional decision to pursue higher education—beginning her bachelor’s degree in 2019 and launching a transformative new chapter in both her personal and professional life.
In 2021, Erica entered the field of Community Relations and Business Development, where she has since played a pivotal role in cultivating cross-sector partnerships, supporting funding and growth strategies, and advancing collaborative solutions—particularly in rural and underserved communities. Her work is grounded in relationship-building, advocacy, and sustainable systems development.
Erica also serves as the Coalition Facilitator for Loving Our Community Coalitions (LOCC), a regional collaborative serving sixteen counties in Middle Georgia. Through this role, she convenes behavioral health providers, local governments, public safety, nonprofits, and faith-based organizations to improve outcomes for individuals facing behavioral health challenges. The coalition focuses on implementing community-driven solutions in the areas of suicide prevention education, homelessness, community resource coordination, behavioral education, and ministry and faith-based engagement.
In addition to her systems-level leadership, Erica is actively engaged in community education. She teaches Mindset, a personal development curriculum focused on accountability, resilience, and positive behavioral change, and serves as an instructor for court-mandated co-parenting courses within the local judicial circuit—supporting families in strengthening communication and child-centered decision-making.
Erica holds a Master of Arts in Communications (Public Relations) and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Psychology from Southern New Hampshire University. She is a member of Sigma Tau Delta and Sigma Alpha Pi, and earned the Foundations of Leadership Certificate from the National Society of Leadership and Success.
Her service extends to nonprofit governance as a Board Member of the Stepping Stone Child Advocacy Center and Sexual Assault Center, where she contributes to trauma-informed leadership and community advocacy. In 2024, Erica was honored as a Living Legacy Excellence Award Recipient by Nu Xi Sigma Sorority, recognizing her lasting impact and dedication to service.
Grounded in her rural Georgia roots and guided by lived experience, Erica leads with empathy, integrity, and determination. She remains committed to lifelong learning, service-driven leadership, and empowering communities—using her platform to amplify voices, strengthen systems, and create meaningful, lasting change.
• Master of Arts in Communications with a concentration in Public Relations from Southern New Hampshire University
• Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Psychology
• National Society of Leadership & Success
• International English Honors Society
• Nu Xi Sigma's "Dorothy Hanley Whiteside" Award
• Board Member for Dublin Rising Homeless Shelter
• Board Member for Sexual Assault & Child Advocacy
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to perseverance, purpose, and people. I’ve learned that consistency matters just as much as talent, and that staying grounded in why you do the work sustains you through challenges. I’ve also been fortunate to learn from strong mentors, colleagues, and community partners who believe in collaboration over competition. Every role I’ve held has reinforced the importance of listening, adapting, and leading with integrity.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I’ve received is to never shrink yourself to make others comfortable. Early on, I learned that confidence doesn’t mean knowing everything—it means being willing to learn, ask questions, and stand firm in your values. That advice taught me to trust my voice, advocate for the communities I serve, and step into leadership opportunities even when I felt stretched or underestimated.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell young women to lead with authenticity and courage. This field needs your perspective, empathy, and innovation. Don’t wait until you feel “ready”—growth happens in the stretch. Seek mentors, build strong networks, and remember that your lived experience is a strength, not a limitation. Most importantly, protect your passion while setting healthy boundaries; sustainability matters just as much as impact.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges is meeting growing behavioral health needs with limited resources while navigating workforce shortages and evolving systems of care. However, this also presents incredible opportunities. We are seeing increased collaboration, innovation in crisis response, and a stronger focus on whole-person, community-based care. The opportunity lies in leveraging data, partnerships, and lived experience to create more accessible, responsive, and equitable services.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity, compassion, accountability, and service guide everything I do. I believe in showing up consistently, treating people with dignity, and being transparent—even when it’s difficult. Both personally and professionally, I value growth, faith, family, and community. At the end of the day, success isn’t just about accomplishments—it’s about the lives touched and the trust built along the way.
Locations
COMMUNITY SERVICE BOARD OF MIDDLE GEORGIA
Dublin, GA