The last of three new Madison Public Library Foundation staff members to introduce this year is Erin Woodard, Grant Writer. She started work at the foundation in January.
Before her work at the foundation, Woodard earned two bachelor’s degrees in botany and French, as well as a master’s degree in professional French with a concentration in sustainable business, all from UW-Madison. She spent a decade at Rotary International’s Foundation in Evanston, Ill., working on the foundation’s Grants staff. After moving back to Wisconsin in 2015, Woodard worked as a nonprofit consultant and a translator for a variety of organizations. She then became Certification Operations & Communications Manager for the nonprofit Green Seal, which certifies green cleaning products and building materials.
A native of Appleton, Wis., Erin enjoys swimming, running, reading and knitting. In the summer, she and her family like to camp. When asked to share something people don’t know about her, she said, “Over the past few years, I’ve gotten into brewing kombucha and like experimenting with flavors — my recent favorite is tart cherry and ginger.”
When it comes to books, Woodard says it’s “hard to limit myself to one favorite” but settles on cookbooks and books about food. Right now, her favorite food-related book is Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat because it explains the fundamentals of good cooking in addition to sharing tasty recipes. As for her favorite books to read with her kids, she says The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak and Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary “always make both of my kids laugh every time we read them.”