Erik Houston joined the United States Marine Corps Reserve in 2006. He is a graduate of MCRD Parris Island, Infantry School aboard Camp Lejune and later the Cannoneers Course aboard Ft Sill, Oklahoma. He served oversees with distinction and was transferred to the Individual Ready Reserve in 2013.
Erik began his professional aquatics career in 2007 as an Aquatics Coordinator at the Harding Place YMCA in Nashville, TN. He continued to serve the South Nashville community as a Program Director overseeing Youth Programs and Aquatics at Harding Place before moving to the YMCA’s association offices in 2010. Working for the YMCA of Middle Tennessee’s corporate office Erik oversees one of the state’s largest direct impact outreach initiatives; Learn to Swim (LTS). Providing free swim lessons and aquatics education to Metro Nashville Public School children during their school day, LTS has served nearly 10,000 of Middle Tennessee’s most vulnerable children. In 2013 Erik was promoted and tasked with oversight of Aquatics for the YMCA of Middle Tennessee. With nearly 800 Lifeguards across 31 facilities and 300 program sites, the YMCA of Middle Tennessee is a major partner in the statewide conversation around aquatic safety. Erik Currently serves as a member of the Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital Safe Kids Commission providing community leadership and guidance on aquatics related incidents and prevention. In addition to his YMCA responsibilities, Erik travels the country as an Ellis ILTP Instructor Trainer. He lives in Nashville Tennessee with his wife and daughter and enjoys upland hunting, playing music and reading.