We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Erica Shoemate. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Erica below.

Erica, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

The Story Behind My Mission

“Empowering Purpose Through Culturally Inclusive Policy Solutions.” That’s the mission of The EN Strategy Group, a boutique policy strategy and consulting firm, I recently launched to tackle systemic inequities, inspire bold leadership, and drive meaningful change. This firm was born from nearly two decades of experience in public service and tech leadership, coupled with personal challenges that shaped my commitment to building bridges and fostering inclusion in the policy space.

From Inner-City Beginnings to National Security Leadership

As a first-generation college graduate from inner-city Memphis, TN, I learned early on that grit, resilience, and community were essential to overcoming life’s challenges. My mother, a two-time breast cancer survivor, instilled in me and my sisters an unshakable belief in our ability to achieve anything, despite the obstacles we faced.

Growing up in a household shaped by perseverance and love, I watched my mother endure unimaginable hardships while still pushing us to succeed. Later, serving as her primary caregiver during both of her battles with cancer taught me the importance of advocacy and how critical it is to have someone in your corner when navigating difficult systems. Those experiences laid the foundation for the values that drive my work today.

My professional career began in public service, where I spent more than a decade at the FBI, working across the Intelligence Community as a National Security and Intelligence Analyst. I tackled critical issues like counterterrorism, counterintelligence, dangerous organizations, sensitive intelligence operations, and national kidnappings. Beyond my technical and analytic work, I also championed diversity, helping launch groundbreaking initiatives like the IC’s first Leadership Diversity Pipeline Summit, designed to expand leadership opportunities for underrepresented voices.

A Motherhood Journey That Redefined My Purpose

Motherhood tested my resilience in ways I could never have imagined. At 20 weeks into my pregnancy, my daughter was misdiagnosed with a rare but lethal form of dwarfism, short rib polydactyly syndrome, and we were advised to terminate. Grounded in faith and divine intervention, my husband dreamed of me waddling during pregnancy—a sign we took as hope that our baby girl could survive. We canceled the termination appointment just 24 hours before it was scheduled. Later, genetic testing revealed she had Ellis-van Creveld Syndrome (EVC), a rare skeletal dysplasia with fewer than 300 documented cases worldwide.

With a 70% infant mortality rate in the first year of life due to congenital heart defects and underdeveloped lungs, her survival was nothing short of miraculous. But her medical journey was just beginning. During her first months, she spent 118 days in two NICUs. Early on, we made the difficult decision to transfer her care to Nemours Children’s Hospital in Wilmington, Delaware, home to one of the most experienced skeletal dysplasia teams in the country. Located near the Amish/Dutch community, where Ellis-van Creveld Syndrome is more prevalent, their expertise gave her the best chance of survival and provided us with a critical lifeline of hope. At just 16 months old, she endured open-heart surgery to correct her congenital heart defect.

My daughter’s journey gave me clarity: my purpose wasn’t just about achieving professional success—it was about creating solutions for the challenges I’ve lived through.

Systemic Inequities in Public and Private Sectors

Balancing her care with the demands of my national security role became increasingly untenable. The lack of flexibility in a classified, on-site work environment left me unable to prioritize her complex medical needs. Despite serving as a high-performing interim chief for over six months—rebuilding trust in a fractured team and delivering measurable results—I was passed over for the permanent role in favor of less experienced colleagues.

In 2020, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic, I made the difficult decision to leave federal service and pivot to the tech industry. I brought my expertise to major companies like Twitter and Amazon, where I focused on Trust & Safety, Responsible AI Policy, AdTech, and Global Election Preparedness. My work tackled critical issues like disinformation, hate speech, cybersecurity threats, child safety, and inclusive advertising.

While I made meaningful contributions, the systemic inequities I faced in government also existed in private sector. The weight of microaggressions, isolation, gaslighting, and targeted treatment took an emotional and mental toll. I remember days when I couldn’t get out of bed, paralyzed by the exhaustion of navigating systems that demanded I constantly prove my worth, refused to acknowledge my contributions, or allowed others to take credit for my work.

The Birth of The EN Strategy Group

With therapy, family support, and sheer determination, I began to heal and reclaim my power. These experiences inspired the birth of The EN Strategy Group—a boutique firm designed to address systemic inequities, empower leaders and organizations, and create culturally informed policy solutions that foster real change.

One of my boldest moves as an entrepreneur was cold-messaging the founder and CEO of ChatBlackGPT, a visionary Black woman, and telling her directly, “You need me to be your policy advisor before you launch anything.” I know Black women don’t get the luxury of iterating their way to perfection; for us, every move must be precise and airtight. That conversation turned into a powerful collaboration and became one of my firm’s earliest successes.

Healing and Embracing My Superpower

Through my personal and professional journey, I’ve also prioritized healing. After five years of misdiagnosed chronic pain, ultimately caused by diastasis recti (a severe abdominal tear(s) often resulting from pregnancy), I fought for a proper diagnosis and treatment. I’ve also navigated postpartum anxiety, PTSD, depression, and a recent ADHD diagnosis. These challenges have reframed how I approach leadership: what I once saw as a flaw is now my superpower—enabling me to see patterns, think strategically, and solve problems creatively.

Public Speaking and Advocacy

Today, my work spans multiple arenas. As the founder of The EN Strategy Group, I advise on tech and health policy with a focus on inclusive strategies that protect user trust while advancing innovation. As a public speaker, I address systemic inequities in maternal health, advocate for culturally informed policies, and inspire individuals to embrace their worth and lead with confidence.

I’ve had the privilege of guest lecturing at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, delivering talks at national healthcare and technology conferences, and advocating on Capitol Hill as a Maternal Health Ambassador for the March of Dimes. My efforts in policy and advocacy have earned me recognition, including the 2024 Black AI Think Tank Award for AI Policy and Advocacy.

A Mission to Build Bridges and Drive Change

Through The EN Strategy Group, my mission is clear: to challenge harmful norms, address systemic inequities, and leave a legacy of fairness, connection, and impact—built on a foundation of expertise in leadership and a life journey that has been as complex as the systems and policies I strive to change.

I’m not just solving problems—I’m building bridges, fostering inclusion, and helping organizations unlock their own powerful purpose.

If you’re looking for a consultant who brings lived experience, expertise, and passion to the table, let’s start a conversation. Whether you need culturally informed policy solutions or a dynamic speaker to inspire your team, I’d love to explore how we can work together to create purpose-driven change.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

About Me and My Brand

I’m a leading expert in tech policy and AI user safety, a trusted national security strategist, maternal health advocate, and a keynote speaker passionate about creating culturally relevant solutions that drive equity and innovation. As the founder of The EN Strategy Group, I bring nearly two decades of experience across public service, technology, and advocacy to help organizations tackle systemic inequities and lead with purpose.

The name “EN” is deeply personal. The “E” represents my first name, meaning “powerful woman,” and the “N” represents my daughter’s name, meaning “purpose.” Together, pronounced as “in,” the name reflects my mission to walk alongside clients—empowering their purpose and creating solutions that drive meaningful change.

At my core, I am a mission-driven problem solver, empathetic leader, advocate, and connector. My personal brand is rooted in advocacy, leadership, and policy innovation, with a focus on building equitable systems that center marginalized voices, particularly Black and Brown communities. My mission is to challenge harmful norms, inspire action, and leave a legacy of fairness, connection, and impact.

What I Do and Problems I Solve

Through The EN Strategy Group, I help clients solve complex challenges in three key areas:

Tech Policy and AI User Safety Strategies

I help organizations navigate the complexities of emerging technologies by developing Responsible AI frameworks and trust and safety policies that prioritize user safety and platform integrity. My expertise includes:

– Generative AI Policy Frameworks: Crafting ethical guidelines that address privacy, misinformation, safety, and transparency in the deployment of AI technologies.
– Global Election Safety: Building policies that safeguard the integrity of democratic processes by tackling disinformation, platform abuse, and cybersecurity threats.
– Trust and Safety Frameworks: Developing policies to combat harmful content, promote platform accountability, and foster user confidence in digital ecosystems.

Maternal Health Advocacy

The U.S. faces a maternal health crisis, with Black women 3-4 times more likely to die from giving birth or birth complications and Black babies twice as likely to die before their first birthday compared to white infants. My maternal health advocacy work focuses on:

– Policy Reform: Developing culturally competent policies to improve maternal and infant health outcomes, especially in underserved including rural communities.

– Advocacy: As a Maternal Health Ambassador with the March of Dimes, I lobby for bipartisan legislation to address systemic disparities in maternal healthcare. Some of the recent legislation focus for 2024. included – Moms Matter Act, PREEMIE, Reauthorization Act, Maintaining our Obligation to Moms (MOMs) who Serve [in the military] Act; Preventing Maternal Deaths Act.

– Family Support: Providing neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and Cardiac ICU (CICU) navigation support for families, empowering them to advocate for their medically complex babies.

Leadership Development and Inclusion

I collaborate with organizations to foster equitable workplace cultures and create actionable strategies that empower employees and advance leadership opportunities for underrepresented groups. My work includes:

– Building leadership pipelines for diverse talent.
– Designing strategies to improve employee retention and foster inclusivity.
– Guiding leaders to embrace cultural competency and lead with empathy.

Keynote Speaking and Empowering Audiences

As a keynote speaker, I deliver talks designed to empower audiences and provide actionable solutions. My keynotes span tech policy, AI policy and mitigating algorithmic bias, maternal health advocacy, leadership development, personal agency, and national security and intelligence.

Some of my most impactful talks include:

National Security and Intelligence: Drawing from over a decade of experience, I speak on navigating complex geopolitical risks, counterterrorism, transnational organizations, sensitive operations, and leadership in high-stakes environments. My keynotes provide insight into strategic decision-making and the intersection of security, technology, and policy.

Personal Agency and Branding: Focused on actionable frameworks, I guide audiences on how to stay ahead of evolving industries by leveraging their greatest asset—themselves. These talks empower professionals to take ownership of their careers, flex their personal brands, and thrive in competitive markets.

Successfully Pivoting Careers: Drawing from my own journey transitioning from public service to tech and entrepreneurship, I inspire audiences to approach career pivots with confidence and purpose.

Tech Policy and Leadership: From responsible AI to systemic inequities, I help organizations and individuals understand how to lead with purpose while implementing strategies that foster inclusion and innovation.

Whether I’m addressing security professionals, healthcare professionals & advocates, or tech innovators, my goal is to empower audiences, provide actionable strategies, and help them unlock their full potential in today’s fast-changing professional and technology landscape.

Collaborations and Partnerships

I’ve had the privilege of working with a wide range of organizations to advance impactful solutions:

ChatBlackGPT Independent Policy Advisor: Partnered with the founder of ChatBlackGPT to create global use policies for its Minimal Viable Product (MVP) launch, ensuring the GenAI tool addresses equity and bias issues. I also co-host LinkedIn Live Audio sessions and community events to amplify its mission.

March of Dimes Advocacy: As a Maternal Health Ambassador, I’ve lobbied for bipartisan maternal health legislation, spoken at events like March for Change Days on Capitol Hill, and shared my family’s NICU journey to raise awareness of healthcare disparities.

Microsoft: Partnered with Microsoft and its ERG, Blacks at Microsoft (BAM), to deliver a workshop for their Summer Academy targeting rising high school seniors and college freshmen. The session focused on Careers in Law, Tech, and Policy, with a special emphasis on empowering underrepresented communities to thrive in tech policy spaces.

These collaborations reflect my commitment to fostering innovation, inclusion, and systemic change.

Notable Speaking Engagements

My speaking engagements span tech policy, national security, maternal health, and leadership development, including:

Tech Policy Thought Leadership:

– Win With Black Women: Workshop Optimizing AI to Streamline Communication and Integrate Reputable Fact-Checking Sites for Get Out the Vote (GOTV) Initiatives (October 2024)
– LinkedIn Audio Live – The Importance Inclusive AI (August 2024; October 2024)
– The Shift Podcast (August 2024): Discussed tech for good and how generative AI can advance equity in tech.
– Microsoft (August 2024): Delivered a talk on the challenges faced by underrepresented communities in tech and shared
actionable strategies to help them thrive despite systemic obstacles.
– Stats on Stats Podcast Lightning Round Interview at ChatBlackGPT’s Launch Party (Juneteenth 2024): Shared insights on ChatBlackGPT’s policy framework, which I independently developed and implemented.

National Security and Intelligence:

– Delivered workshops for national security professionals on analytic tradecraft, intelligence strategy, and complex decision-making in high stakes environments.

Maternal Health Advocacy:

– Virginia General Assembly (October 2024): Advocate speaker addressing maternal health disparities at Virginia State Capitol.
– Maternal Infant Services Network Symposium (June 2024): Panelist on maternal mental health disparities in upstate New York.
– March of Dimes – March for Change Impact Day(s) (March 2024): Capitol Hill engagement advocating for maternal health reform.
– Speaker – 16th Annual Mohsen Ziai Pediatric Conference – INOVA Children’s Hospital (November 2022)
– Workshop Presenter: DMV Perinatal Mental Health Symposium (October 2022)
– Workshop Presenter: National Maternal Health Innovation Symposium (Chicago, IL – August 2022)
– Guest Lecturer: University of Maryland School of Medicine Department of Family Medicine (June 2022)
– Featured Speaker at the Maryland Academy of Family Physicians to present at the 2022 Annual Summit (February 2022)

These opportunities highlight my ability to educate, inspire, and drive actionable change across disciplines.

What Sets Me Apart

As a mission-driven problem solver, empathetic leader, advocate, and connector, I bring a unique blend of lived experience and professional expertise to my work. My journey—spanning high-stakes national security challenges, inclusive AI policy development, and maternal health advocacy—fuels my passion for creating actionable frameworks that empower organizations and individuals alike.

What I Want Potential Clients to Know

At The EN Strategy Group, I help clients solve complex problems while centering people and purpose. Whether addressing AI ethics, healthcare equity, national security strategy, or leadership inclusion, I collaborate with organizations to create culturally informed strategies that align with their values.

Through collaboration and innovation, I’m not just solving problems—I’m building bridges, fostering inclusion, and empowering organizations to unlock their own powerful purpose. Policy is my superpower, and whether I’m talking, writing, implementing, advocating for, or shaping it, I help clients cement or augment the frameworks needed to create systemic change.

But I’m not a monolith—connection is my other superpower. As a keynote speaker, I deliver impactful talks on leadership development, inclusion, national security, tech policy, trust and safety, and maternal health advocacy. No matter the topic, my work always comes back to creating actionable strategies and empowering organizations to thrive through the lens of policy.

My mission is clear: to turn challenges into opportunities, foster inclusion, drive innovation, and leave a legacy of meaningful and lasting impact.

Any fun sales or marketing stories?

Yes I mention this story briefly in the previous Brand Section, but it really is a powerful one.

One of my favorite marketing stories is also one of the boldest moves I’ve ever made in my career, as I briefly previously shared. Earlier this year, I cold-messaged the Founder and CEO of ChatBlackGPT. At the time, I was searching for meaningful ways to deepen my impact in AI policy but kept running into systemic barriers: hiring managers unwilling to accommodate East Coast remote work, restrictive relocation requirements, and a lack of pathways for underrepresented talent in tech policy. It became clear that if I wanted to have a seat at the table, I’d have to create my own.

Rather than wait for permission, I decided to take a strategic and direct approach. I’d been following ChatBlackGPT’s founder on LinkedIn and saw her vision for building a generative AI tool designed to address biases in AI systems. Knowing that policy often gets deprioritized at startups—but that Black women founders don’t have the luxury of waiting to “figure it out later”—I reached out. My message was clear: – “You can’t afford to launch without someone like me on board.”

To my surprise, she responded almost immediately, and after just two Zoom calls, our collaboration was cemented. I developed a comprehensive policy framework—what I call “Rules of Engagement”—covering policy areas of Global Usage, Privacy, Child Safety, Hate Speech, Self-Harm, Misinformation and many more. But I didn’t stop there. I went a step further, creating a section dedicated to addressing the historical mistrust between the Black community and technology. This transparency not only built rapport with ChatBlackGPT’s users but also demonstrated our commitment to ensuring the platform would not perpetuate societal harm.

This collaboration became an early success story for The EN Strategy Group and solidified my role as a trusted advisor in tech policy. It’s a testament to the power of bold thinking, strategic risk-taking, and refusing to accept the barriers that often limit underrepresented professionals. What started as a cold message turned into a transformative partnership, a comprehensive policy framework, and the kind of work that bridges innovation with impact.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

My Journey Into Motherhood: A Testament to Resilience

In June 2017, my world was turned upside down. At just over 20 weeks into my pregnancy, my husband and I were told our baby girl had a lethal form of dwarfism “not compatible with life.” Her chest, doctors said, was too small to support her lungs, and they advised us to terminate. We were devastated, grappling with sleepless nights and gut-wrenching decisions. The procedure wasn’t covered by insurance because my life wasn’t “physically” at risk, leaving us to face a financial burden on top of the emotional one. As a Christian family, we prayed for a miracle, but my faith was fatigued.

Then, my husband had a dream of me waddling while pregnant. We believed it was divine intervention, and 24 hours before our scheduled procedure, we canceled the appointment. We chose to carry her to term, knowing the odds were stacked against her. For the next 17 weeks, I walked through the halls of the FBI, with growing belly, dressed beautifully and rocking my stilettos, with a smile on my face and a broken heart inside. There were many days and nights I didn’t want to eat, yet my husband, would beg me to do so and bring me food. I just so heartbroken, and didn’t see the point.

On September 27, 2017, our daughter was born via C-section due to my very low amniotic fluid. To the entire complex medical team’s surprise, she screamed—a cry that gave us hope. But the journey was far from over. She spent 118 days across two different NICUs and states, endured open-heart surgery at 16 months, and faced countless medical battles. Today, she’s a thriving 7-year-old, defying every odd placed against her.

This experience changed me forever. I was diagnosed with postpartum anxiety, PTSD, and later ADHD and major depression. Navigating our broken healthcare system, initially made accessing mental health care incredibly difficult. As a Black mother, I also faced workplace challenges that compounded the emotional toll—micro-aggressions, a rigid schedule, and a lack of support for working mothers of complex medical babies like me.

Eventually, I left federal service during the pandemic after being passed over for a permanent leadership role I was actively excelling in for more than six months. Despite my qualifications and leadership experience, the position went to someone with less experience. Balancing my daughter’s complex medical needs with an inflexible work environment—particularly at the height of COVID—became impossible. I transitioned to tech for its promise of remote work opportunities, but as pandemic empathy faded, toxic workplace abuse re-emerged with a vengeance. I endured gaslighting, false accusations, discrediting, and colleagues taking credit for my work. The environment became so harmful that I took medical leave, repeating Beyoncé’s mantra, “You won’t break my soul.”

It became clear that prioritizing my daughter’s care—and my own mental health—was non-negotiable. When employers and clients couldn’t provide the understanding I needed, I decided to bet on myself. This year, I launched The EN Strategy Group, my boutique strategy and consulting firm, creating my own seat at the table—on my terms.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://niasjourneycom.wordpress.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepolicygoddess
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericals/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jeBP6X0_yU
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/nias_journey (my daughter’s IG page – I manage) raising awareness and a little bit of fun too – since she is a whole lot of personality :)

Image Credits

Professional Headshots/ Multi-color Dress/LilyPulitzer Dress with Daughter only: Photo Credit: Nick Nelson – CEO, Brandpreneur