Ericka Pantoja

Administrative Assistant

A graduate of GEMS’ Youth Leadership Program, Ericka Pantoja has been GEMS’ Administrative Assistant since 2009 and is a role model to many of the members the agency serves. She is currently pursuing a Bachelors Degree in psychology at the College of New Rochelle.

Ericka is the first point of contact for most people, including new members, arriving to or calling the GEMS’ offices for the first time. In addition to fulfilling her administrative duties, Ericka engages and supports members in daily activities and has supported and/or helped to produce special events such as tabling at the Lilith Fair and organizing the ribbon-cutting for GEMS’ renovated programming space. Ericka works with the Youth Outreach Team; has helped to coordinate GEMS Annual HIV Awareness Week, CSEC/Trafficking Awareness Week, and New York State End CSEC Day; and has headed various recreational groups for members, including art, cooking, and writing groups.

As a dynamic and passionate speaker, Ericka has appeared in films and interviews, including an educational video for health care providers about the needs of CSEC victims, a film about the agency’s Educational Initiative program, and an interview with Telemundo. Ericka also provides bilingual services and has translated discussions following Very Young Girls screenings from Spanish to English and vice versa.