A long-standing proponent of all things DeFi inside and outside of the classroom, she has remained steadfast in her belief that emerging technologies (like cryptocurrencies and blockchain), are the harbingers sent to disrupt and transform outdated and marginalizing economic systems. Erika has spent the past six years at Maryville University where she has included fintech in personal finance courses and curriculum since 2017, including cryptocurrencies and blockchain. She helped create a fintech curriculum track within the Management and Information Systems degree plan at Maryville University, where she developed and teaches the Digital Assets course. At Maryville, she prepares her students to be resilient, courageous, and curious as we collectively learn what it means—and what it is going to take—to bridge the gap of existing personal finance advice and education with the inevitable arrival of the future of finance.