During his time in the Senate he oversaw the entire breadth of funding and policy issues in the subcommittee’s jurisdiction, developing particular expertise in the areas of biomedical research and early childhood, secondary and higher education. He specialized in NIH issues for that entire period and is the only non-NIH employee ever to receive the NIH Director’s Award. His other honors include the 2014 Staff Recognition Award from the Committee for Education Funding for his work on the Appropriations Committee. Erik was the Senate’s key representative during negotiations with the House of Representatives and White House over the annual Labor-HHS-Education spending measure, and as a result of this position he maintains extensive relationships within the Executive Branch and both chambers of Congress.

Prior to Capitol Hill, Erik worked for a dozen years as a reporter, editor and columnist at various news organizations, most recently at Education Week, where he directed the publication’s coverage of federal education policy and education technology. Erik holds a degree in English from Princeton University.  He is married and has three girls.