Dr. Erin Feichtinger joined the Women’s Fund in May 2022—the day that the news broke about Roe v. Wade would soon be overturned. Around the office you’ll find her quoting Kurt Vonnegut, spitting facts about the reunification of Germany in the late 18th century and making the team laugh with her wry sense of humor. Erin was recently voted “most likely to survive a zombie apocalypse” by her teammates.
Erin brings her extensive experience working on policy to increase housing security, food security and economic security at both the local and state level. Dr. Feichtinger has worked on several successful policy initiatives including Omaha’s Rental Registration and Proactive Inspection Ordinance as well as legislation increasing tenant protections and access to justice, increasing access to SNAP and affordable childcare. Her most recent efforts to secure federal funding for rental assistance and legal representation for tenants in eviction court has resulted in increased housing stability for all Nebraskans.
Dr. Feichtinger has a degree in special education and a Ph.D. in history from Loyola University Chicago. She loves reading, research, music, learning the drums and spending time watching her daughter interact with the world.
Here’s a little bit more about our wildly brilliant, deeply knowledgeable, relentless Policy Director:
Q: Where are you from?
EF: Omaha
Q: Do you have any pets? What are their names?
EF: A big old dog named Crash
Q: What are your “big 3” astrology signs (moon/rising/sun)?
EF: Sun: Aquarius, Moon: Capricorn, Rising: Virgo
Q: What is your Enneagram number? Or Meyers-Briggs? Etc?
EF: I honestly do not know. I disagree with the conclusions of any personality test I’ve ever taken. So whatever that means. (Editor’s Note: She’s an Enneagram 8 which is also known as “The Challenger.” )
Q: What are your top 5 favorite albums?
EF: Only 5? How about 10 in no particular order:
- Prince “Purple Rain”
- Nine Inch Nails “The Downward Spiral”
- Cursive “Domestica”
- Explosions in the Sky “The Earth is Not A Cold Dead Place”
- The Knife “Silent Shout”
- Boards of Canada “Music Has the Right to Children”
- Paul Simon “Graceland”
- Death From Above 1979 “You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine”
- The Velvet Underground and Nico, “The Velvet Underground and Nico”
- Father John Misty, “I Love You, Honeybear”
Q: What are your top 5 favorite movies?
EF: Again in no particular order:
- The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
- American Psycho
- Thor: Ragnarok
- O Brother, Where Art Thou?
- Logan
Q: Do you have a secret talent?
EF: None of my talents are secret. But I’m actually a pretty decent artist.
Q: Give me two truths and a lie (and tell me which is which):
EF: I tried (and failed) at stand-up (TRUTH).
I play the drums (TRUTH).
I studied dance when I was younger (LIE).
Q: Do you have a moment that really galvanized your feminism?
EF: Not any particular moment. Being a girl and then a woman in society did the trick. But if I had to pick—becoming a mom.
Q: Do you have a favorite Women’s Fund memory?
EF: Too many! Our staff retreat at Mahoney was pretty great.
Q: Can you share something funny or cringeworthy from your career?
EF: I spend a lot of time testifying in front of various government bodies so there really are too many to choose from. I was just remembering that during COVID when everyone was on Zoom, I was in-person at a Douglas County Board meeting and the Zoom meeting got hacked and it was just a lot of porn and no one could figure out how to stop it. Of course, everyone wanted to stop it as quickly as possible, but they were required to keep the Zoom open because otherwise at that particular time it would have been a violation of the Open Meetings Act.
Q: How do you find joy or hope these days?
EF: Playing music, eating good food and doing paint-by-number in the early morning hours.
Q: What are your currently reading/listening to?
EF: At this very moment I’m listening to the Nebraska Legislature.
I’m reading You Dreamed of Empires by Alvaro Enrigue.
I’ve been listening to Boy Harsher.
Q: What would be the title of your memoir?
EF: “The Beatings Will Continue, Until Morale Improves: A Memoir of Life Around Politics”
Q: What’s the weirdest item we would find near your bed?
EF: A veritable mountain of ponytails and hair clips from my daughter.
Q: What’s an unpopular opinion you have?
EF: Several:
- Phil Collins is not good.
- Concerns about parking are outdated.
- Everyone should zipper merge.
- We should never build another strip mall ever again.