Loida Erhard joined The Lemelson Foundation in 2025 as its inaugural Learning Officer. She leads the measurement, learning, and evaluation (MLE) program to assess and improve the effectiveness of the Foundation’s strategies and outcomes. The MLE program is rooted in the Foundation’s goal to build an innovative culture of learning, inquiry, and experimentation with a tolerance for risk and a commitment to learn from both success and failure.
Erhard is an experienced evaluator and applied researcher with 15 years of experience working across nonprofit, government, and private sectors on various social programs — including education, public health, microfinance, and affordable housing. She is passionate about advancing goals around inquiry, learning, and utilizing data insights to improve outcomes.
Most recently, Erhard served as the Acting Deputy Director for the Mayor’s Office Innovation & Performance Team for the City of Seattle, where she utilized innovative research and evaluation approaches to inform investment and policy decision-making. Prior to this role, she worked with the City of Seattle’s Department of Education and Early Learning, PATH, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among others. Her work has focused on strategy development, MLE program design, data storytelling, and translating research for broad audiences.
Erhard has been published in several scientific journals, and has a Master of Public Health degree from Emory University, and a BS in Biology from the University of Washington.