Hello, my name is Erik R. Fernandez.
 

I was born and raised in Thousand Oaks, California, where I developed a lifelong appreciation for discipline, creativity, and perseverance through academics, athletics, and community involvement. Before relocating to the Bay Area, I balanced multiple responsibilities as a student-athlete at Moorpark College—competing on the men’s soccer team, coaching at Oak Park High School, training with a semi-professional club, and working in hospitality while pursuing my degree.
 

After earning my Associate’s Degree, I transferred to San Francisco State University, where I completed a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing. During my undergraduate studies, I had the opportunity to study abroad at Swansea University in Wales, where I immersed myself in a new cultural and academic environment while playing soccer for both the university and a professional club in London. This international experience deepened my adaptability, global perspective, and understanding of human-centered design and communication.
 

In my senior year, I developed a performance-tracking athletic apparel prototype, leading the concept from ideation through market strategy and prototype development. This venture earned second place at the SFSU Entrepreneurial Symposium and Innovation Pitch Competition, reflecting my passion for blending product innovation with marketing strategy and analytical rigor.

Following graduation, I expanded my technical and marketing foundation through dual roles with Cruise Automation (a General Motors–backed autonomous vehicle division) and COOP Careers, a nonprofit dedicated to digital upskilling. At Cruise, I supported testing and operational readiness for autonomous vehicles, helping improve QA precision and workflow efficiency in a fast-paced, innovation-driven environment. Concurrently, as a Digital Marketing Captain at COOP, I led peer cohorts through hands-on training in digital advertising, analytics, and campaign strategy in the Google OMC program—reinforcing my leadership and collaboration skills across disciplines.