Erica Hayes

Bio:

Erica D. Hayes is a lighting designer and programmer with over 18 years of experience spanning concert touring, television, film, and large-scale corporate events. She has designed for world-class international touring artists and worked on productions across the globe, from major US arenas to international venues in Africa and the Middle East.

As Professor of Lighting Techniques and Applications at California Baptist University, Erica brings real-world industry expertise to the next generation of production professionals. She is a proud member of IATSE Local 728.

Erica is the Program Director of the Crew Development Institute (CDI), a nonprofit organization dedicated to building sustainable local crew pipelines across Africa through free, world-class production training. CDI addresses the critical shortage of trained technicians in emerging markets by combining hands-on equipment training with industry mentorship and job placement support.