Erica Silva

Erica S. Silva, Ed.D. is an adjunct assistant professor in the Master of Art in Teaching Program at USC Rossier. She is also the Associate Director of K-12 Professional Programs at the USC Race & Equity Center. Erica has worked for the past decade as a teacher in both elementary and middle school settings, and as an English Language Arts instructional specialist where she trained and worked with teachers on district-wide curriculum implementation, assessment development and technology integration. 

Prior to joining USC Rossier, Erica completed a two-year fellowship with the Cotsen Foundation for the Art of Teaching, where she led a team of teachers to enhance their teaching practice through professional development and mentorship, with a focus on utilizing cognitive coaching methods and integrating culturally-responsive teaching strategies in the classroom.

She is a double Trojan and graduated with her doctorate in K-12 Educational Leadership from USC Rossier. Her dissertation focused on the intersection of policy, political science and education through the study of Latino representation on school boards across California. Silva also holds an M.A. in Urban Education from Loyola Marymount University and a B.A. in Political Science from USC. She discovered her passion for education working with college and high school students through the Norman Topping Student Aid Fund at USC, which led to her to begin her career in education as a 6th grade teacher. 

In addition to her role at USC Rossier, Erica currently serves as a member of the Education Trust West's Educator Advisory Council and the K12 DEI Advisory Board for Penguin Random House Education. 

EDUC 671 – Contexts for Educational Equity, Access, and Agency

EDUC 679 – Blended Learning Experiences for Students in Urban Schools