Erika's Full Biography

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Erika Orriss was born in a small town in upstate New York.  Her family moved frequently as her father was looking to contribute to the field of child neuropsychology wherever opportunity arose. The family ultimately settled in Illinois, but she had learned quickly it was important to be of service within her community wherever she resided. Her young years shaped her moral compass to be able to acclimate quickly to new surroundings and have an impeccable work ethic.

After graduating college with a bachelor's degree in computer science from Southern Illinois University, Erika moved to the northeast to start her career in a very competitive market. However, when she started her own family, Erika and her husband decided it was time to move to Florida! She has never looked back. Florida aligned perfectly with their family values and political ideology. She has lived in Florida over 24 years now.  Erika’s children, Jessica and Jonathan both attended Florida schools and colleges. Erika was actively involved in the school system as a volunteer to assist children with special needs. 

Erika has extensive experience working as a financial software engineer and project manager.  Her beginnings were at corporations including AT&T, Ernst & Young, Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley prior to her relocation to central Florida where she became employed by Darden Corporation. In totality Erika worked as a financial software engineer and in management for over 25 years.    

However, Erika felt called to help others outside the business environment. She went on to pursue a master’s degree in counseling psychology from Troy State University graduating with a 4.0 GPA and began a local business. Her education and experience equip her with the skills to assist others in overcoming their obstacles and emerging from setbacks with even greater resilience. She just published her first book on overcoming unforeseen life obstacles, it is available on Amazon and reached #1 best seller in 6 categories the first day it became available. The name of the book is "20 years and 6 months".  You will gain insight into Erika's fortitude and determination that she will use to advocate for District 33.  

Not a lifelong politician, Erika is compassionate and holds strong conservative values. While working as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Erika saw firsthand the mental challenges Floridians faced during the Coronavirus shutdowns of 2020. 

Communities of all kinds were struggling to cope with the unknowns. To help Brevard and surrounding counties, Erika offered therapy sessions to individuals free of charge. 

Now, Erika gives back to her community by serving on the Brevard County Republican Executive Committee as a Precinct Committeewoman, Precinct Captain, and a member of both the IT Support and Service Events Committees. Erika used to regularly attend Holy Apostles Episcopal Church in Satellite Beach. However, the church has Episcopal church has made some changes and Ms. Orriss and her husband have started attending Immaculate Conception in Melbourne Beach where she feels her believe system aligns more with that of conservative, moral values.  While it was a difficult decision, both she and her husband felt the catholic faith was more congruent with their beliefs. 

Erika's dynamic blend of business and community involvement has equipped her with a comprehensive understanding of the needs of Brevard County. Erika will consistently fight for the citizens of Florida House District 33, while supporting policies to fight back against the radical left.