Erin graduated with a bachelors in Zoology from Washington State University. While in college, she assisted with research on factors of hormones in Japanese long horn beetles. She is an insect enthusiast and collects them as a hobby and raises Praying Mantises as pets.

In the Vaughan lab, Erin maintains the clinical insectary that raises mosquitoes for malaria research.

When not working with the insects, she likes being outdoors. She rollerblades and in the winter Erin is a volunteer ski patroller at White Pass Ski Resort.