Erin Russell Petrey was born in Lexington and raised on a farm in Lawrenceburg, with Kentucky roots reaching from Maysville to Hazard back to the 1700s. A proud graduate of Fayette County Public Schools, she holds a B.A. from The George Washington University and an M.A. from the University of Kentucky’s Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce.

After teaching in a public elementary school in South Korea, Erin devoted her career to service and impact by strengthening communities through renewable energy and healthcare projects, building critical infrastructure across the U.S. South, and helping grow businesses that created real jobs across the country. Most recently, she focused on making energy-intensive systems like data centers more sustainable, ensuring growth doesn’t come at the expense of people or the planet.

Erin is a lifelong volunteer, working with organizations including Habitat for Humanity, Teen Court, and the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. She is a proud champion of Kentucky, a board member of Bourbon Women, a Kentucky Colonel, an Executive Bourbon Steward, and an active, award-winning member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Erin lives in Lexington with her senior rescue dog, Lila. She enjoys travelling with her mom, practicing her Spanish, and telling anyone who will listen just how special Kentucky really is.