United States Army veteran and Syracuse University alumnae, Dr. Erica Lopez-Brown was born in Granada Hills, California and raised in Trenton New Jersey. Erica enlisted in the U.S. Army in August 1995, completing basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and serving as a 91 Bravo, combat medic. She spent four years on active duty, serving with Bravo Company, 61st Area Support Medical Battalion, 1st Medical Brigade at Fort Hood, Texas, While at Fort Hood, Erica deployed overseas supporting a humanitarian mission to Kenya, Africa and two nine-month deployments to Bosnia Herzegovina.
In July 1999, Erica transitioned from active-duty service to the New York Army National Guard. She served in the New York Army National Guard for thirteen years, performing security assignments following the September 11th attacks. In 2018, Erica completed her master’s degree at Syracuse University in forensic science with a concentration in medicolegal death investigation, and her doctorate in forensic science at Oklahoma State University in 2026.
Today, Erica serves as the Work-Based Learning Coordinator at the Institute of Technology in the Syracuse City School District. She is the founder of ZS Forensic Consulting, an author, and a breast cancer survivor whose books offer education and encouragement through topics including forensic science, children’s learning, and life during and after breast cancer. Eria shares her life with her husband Maurice “Moe” Brown, their daughters, Zanirah and Sienna, and their son, Maurice Brown, Jr.
One of Erica’s proudest military experiences was serving on a humanitarian mission in Kenya, where she celebrated her 19th birthday. As a medic, Erica traveled to local villages to help provide vaccinations and basic medical care. The experience humbled her and broadened her understanding of the world.
