Erin Harkey is the former Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events — where she led the agency during the Lightfoot and Johnson administrations. She served in various roles for the City of Chicago since 2016 with a focus on cultural policy and arts strategy across all City departments and agencies. She has over 20 years of experience working in the nonprofit and government sector helping individuals and communities succeed through the arts. Erin previously managed public art programs at Los Angeles County Arts Commission and the Arts Council for Long Beach, and holds two master’s degrees in Public Art Administration and Urban Planning from the University of Southern California (USC) and a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Howard University.