Erin McCann (a white woman with auburn hair) smiling and standing in front of an apple tree. She is wearing a tie-dyed shirt and a necklace with a silver pretzel pendant. The text over the photo reads "Hello! My name is Erin McCann. (she/her/hers)"

I am a skilled relationship builder, space and community animator, and project leader.

This has always been my gig. Even in my earliest jobs, I found opportunities to build community. When I worked in fast food, I provided breakfast for charity walkathons. When I worked in customer service for a big-box store, I collaborated with the garden department to plan neighborhood gardening classes. I then moved on to a major university, where I organized events to connect the campus to the community around it, before truly finding my home in the nonprofit sector.

For the last seven years, I have utilized my passion for connecting people to serve Chicago’s nonprofit community. I have facilitated collaborations, provided opportunities for networking, and fostered a person-centered culture of appreciation and self-care in a sector that has historically been characterized by competition for resources and staff burnout.

I have relished the opportunity to contribute to a healthier, happier, more effective nonprofit sector, and now I am thrilled to offer my services to groups and organizations of all shapes and sizes: nonprofits, social ventures, startups, and fraternal organizations/social clubs. I believe that community touches everything we do, and it makes us better.

I care deeply about my work, and I love people. I am at my best when those two truths intersect.

  • Dovetail carpentry joints

    My Philosophy

    I believe that all projects deserve to be approached with moxie, craftsmanship, and agility. I believe that fresh perspectives are essential to problem solving, and that tenacity, patience, and creativity are just as important as skill and knowledge.

  • A longe table surrounded by green chairs in a library.

    My Values

    I value human connection and collaboration, and I believe that clear communication and mutual trust are essential to both. I value equity, accessibility, and inclusion and view them as the most fundamental components of intentionality.

  • A wall of Black Forest cuckoo clocks.

    My Work

    I enjoy ventures with multiple moving components because I am adept at seeing both the forest and the trees. I have experience leading teams, overseeing and organizing projects of all sizes, and creating strategies for iterative and incremental improvements to processes, policies, and programs. Read more here!