Erin Casey, MPA, is an accomplished public sector and nonprofit leader with more than a decade of experience advancing equity-driven initiatives across government, education, and philanthropy. Known for her ability to align strategy, people, and partnerships, she has led
complex, multi-million-dollar efforts that center community voice, strengthen cross-sector collaboration, and deliver measurable systems change.
Prior to joining Lighthouse as Chief of Staff, Erin served as Director of the Pontiac Funders Collaborative at the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, where she led the strategy and implementation of a major place-based investment initiative focused on resident-centered community development in the City of Pontiac. In this role, she reimagined the collaborative’s governance structure and grantmaking approach to better align with community priorities and worked closely with city and county leadership, philanthropic partners, and community stakeholders to coordinate investments and advance local policy and development efforts. Her leadership emphasized authentic community engagement and long-term systems alignment to support sustainable impact in Pontiac.
Erin has also held senior leadership roles with Detroit Public Schools Community District and the City of Detroit, where she advised executive teams, led large-scale strategic planning and community engagement efforts, and managed high-performing teams delivering essential public services. She holds a Master of Public Administration from Wayne State University and remains actively engaged in regional
civic leadership through board and advisory roles.
In her role as Chief of Staff at Lighthouse, Erin brings a collaborative, results-oriented approach to advancing the organization’s mission and deepening its impact in the communities it serves.
