As Principal Associate, Eric partners with clients and their communities on strategies to strengthen their homelessness response, promote equity, and build effective, data-driven systems. For nearly 30 years, Eric has advanced solutions to homelessness in roles spanning federal, state, and local governments and nonprofits. He joined the Minnesota Department of Human Services as Assistant Commissioner in 2022, leading homelessness, economic assistance, and behavioral health programs. Previously, he served as Deputy Director of the Minnesota Interagency Council on Homelessness, established a state/philanthropic partnership to improve housing stability for homeless students and their families, and led Minnesota’s work to end Veteran homelessness. Prior to that, Eric served as Policy Director at the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) during the Obama Administration, leading USICH’s efforts to end Veteran and youth homelessness. Eric began his work on housing instability with the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH), and helped established Hearth Connection, a nonprofit focused on creating permanent supportive housing and building systems to support people facing chronic homelessness. He holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and women's studies from the University of Minnesota and studied math and physics at Augsburg College. He lives in the Twin Cities with his spouse and two kids.