Erica Tavares

Erica Tavares is Senior Director at International Medical Corps, where she leads strategy and execution for health and humanitarian programming across 15 countries, ensuring access to lifesaving healthcare, training, and services that build resilience in communities facing crises. Globally, Erica manages International Medical Corps’ flagship Local Engagement and Response Network (LEARN) program, which trains local Rapid Response Teams, equips first responders with just-in-time skills, and closes critical gaps in outbreak response capacity, helping stop infectious disease outbreaks at their source. She also serves as Deputy Director for the Response Management Team for the current DRC Ebola response. With two decades of nonprofit leadership and fundraising experience, Erica specializes in building high-impact public-private partnerships and mobilizing resources to meet community-driven goals. Previously, she served as Vice President of Institutional Advancement at International Medical Corps, where she developed transformational partnerships with leading foundations, academic institutions, and Fortune 500 companies—including AbbVie, FedEx, the Gates Foundation, JPMorgan Chase, and P&G—driving more than $40 million annually to support humanitarian programs worldwide. Erica has held senior leadership roles as Chief Development Officer at USA for UNHCR, where she raised $100 million in response to the crisis in Ukraine, and Director of Development at Women for Women International, where she traveled extensively to help establish programs in Bosnia & Herzegovina, Afghanistan, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. She is also Chair of the Board of the Partnership for Quality Medical Donations. Erica holds a B.A. in Political Science from American University.