Erika Gerdes is an authenticity development and executive leadership coach, speaker and writer whose mission is to make the world better, kinder, and more joyful. She is the designer of The Art of Undoing, which helps people undo who they think they should be and unlock who they are to become. Erika is a former global business executive at Google, where she worked for 12 years before leaving at the height of her career, as a single mom, to empower people to embrace their authenticity and amplify their impact. Her journey has been featured in Forbes, her writing can be seen in Thrive Global and she speaks regularly about her journey from overachieving perfectionist to authenticity advocate to empower and inspire others to live into their full range. Erika has an M.A. in Organizational Communication and a graduate certificate in mediation and negotiation. She completed advanced coaching and specialized leadership development training with CTI. She is also trained in Harvard’s Immunity to Change framework for making transformational change. Erika lives in Chicago with her daughters, Evelyn (9) and Vivian (7 1/2) and their adorable dog, Basil.