Erin Hartman
ERIN HARTMAN
What are you obsessed with? My dogs. They greet me like I’ve been gone for years, even if I just took out the trash. That kind of love and enthusiasm is contagious.
If you could wake up tomorrow with a superpower, what would it be? Teleportation. I could travel anywhere instantly, visit friends around the country, and actually sleep more because I’d never sit in traffic again. Win-win-win.
What is the one place in the world you would like to escape to and why? New Zealand. It’s the size of Colorado but has everything—glaciers, mountains, and snowboarding in the south, then volcanoes, snorkeling, and bird sanctuaries in the north. It’s got everything.
If you had a million dollars in the bank, what would you be doing? Pay off our house, take one great vacation, invest the rest, and keep doing what I’m doing. I’m a realist, remember?
What is the biggest risk you have ever taken in your life? Not entering the workforce after college. I traveled and worked odd jobs through my twenties instead of building a resume. It was a risk that was entirely worth it.
What one piece of advice would you offer anyone who asks? Life isn’t linear. If the traditional path works for you, great. But if you need to wander, travel, or try on different lives first, that’s great too. Don’t be afraid to take detours. There’s no single right way.
Play, steadiness, and a deep sense of community define Erin Hartman. Those traits have been part of her from the beginning—growing up on a Pennsylvania mountainside where kids lived outside, riding bikes, playing football in every season, and launching massive capture-the-flag games that swept up the whole neighborhood. Thirty years later, her elementary school besties remain her closest friends, a testament to the effort, intention, and commitment she pours into her relationships—and the spirit that guides how she shows up for the Saints community today.
Since signing on as a substitute PE teacher in 2015, Erin has held a variety of coaching, teaching, and administrative positions, succeeding at each with her secret weapon. Organizing is her jam—from bus-stop games as a kid to the teams, events, and family life she manages so effortlessly today. She says it’s just the way her brain works, compartmentalizing and naturally ordering things!
A four-sport athlete growing up, Erin’s home is on the sidelines. She stepped into coaching basketball, field hockey, and lacrosse easily—but still needed a job to fill her day. When she applied to be the Lower School assistant librarian—she had no idea how life-changing it would be. Working with Librarian Julie Esanu changed her approach to students and teaching, shaping the way she now coaches and collaborates in all her roles. Erin loves how genuine the youngest Saints are—funny, curious, thoughtful, empathetic, and smart—and treasures watching them grow through the years.
In 2019, Erin added assistant to the director of teaching and learning to her growing list of roles. As someone who thrives working with students, she hesitated to take a job focused on adult interaction. Ironically, it’s pushed her to be creative, take on new challenges, and grow in ways she never expected. That same year, she took on coordinating every detail of the Upper School’s 2020 year-end events—Prize Day, Baccalaureate, and Commencement—never imagining her meticulous plans would have to pivot overnight from in-person celebrations to full Zoom productions. Thankfully, Erin is wired for calm when chaos strikes. She steps back, sorts through the noise, and focuses on what she can control—and uses that perspective to motivate and help others move forward.
Before coming to SSSAS, Erin lived a life packed with adventure. Though recruited to play field hockey, she decided not to play and leaned into her love of history and political science at the University of Pittsburgh. She’s especially fascinated by the cultural tension and transformation of the turbulent 1960s. Her dream dinner guests would include Janis Joplin, John Steinbeck, and Billie Jean King—who capture the blend of artistry, humanity, and grit she admires—and she’d time-travel straight to the 1963 March on Washington to witness its collective courage firsthand. She studied abroad in London, traveled through most of Western Europe, hopped to Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Ecuador, and spent a full year exploring Australia and New Zealand. Her boldest moment came in Queenstown, where she jumped from the 440-foot Nevis Highwire bungee—one of the tallest in the world!
Her days look different now—revolving around playgrounds, dog walking, naptimes, and cheering on the Saints—but Erin approaches it all with the same energy. She enjoys any physical activity, baking and grilling, and quiet time curled up on the couch with her dogs, Jackson and Marley. She’s a big kid at heart who turns ordinary moments into something joyful for her partner, fellow Saint Dionna, and their toddlers, Kaia and Callan. For all the places she’s been and all the experiences she’s had, Erin’s greatest adventure might be this one: building a life rooted in love and belonging.