Author and Media Entrepreneur
Author Erik Hanberg has published more than ten books, including the science-fiction novels Semi/Human and The Lattice Trilogy, not to mention a play and a few novellas. His books have sold more than 100,000 copies and have been translated into Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Arabic (long story).
In 2017, Erik co-founded Channel 253 with Marguerite Martin and Doug Mackey. The hyper-local podcast network consists of several podcasts that focus on Tacoma and hosts a show on the network. He previously co-hosted the Media Carnivores podcast with author Brent Hartinger.
Erik is currently Director of Audience Development for KNKX Public Radio, which has the largest radio footprint in Washington State. From 2006 to 2008, he worked in media as a writer and then partner for Exit133.com, a hyper-local blog about Tacoma. He was also the Editor-in-Chief of his high school newspaper.
Erik’s writing for the theater has been featured in the Pierce County Playwright Festival, the Double-Shot Theater Festival, Carleton College, and stage readings at Tacoma Little Theater. He has directed plays as well and, as creator of the Horatio Theater Project from 2006 to 2009, produced several well-reviewed plays, musicals, and cabarets. Erik wrote and directed two award-winning short films in the Grand Cinema’s 72-Hour Film Competition (a festival he had previously created in 2005 when he was director of the Grand).
He regularly reviews business plans for entrepreneurs and artists through the Spaceworks Tacoma Incubator and was a 2022 Innovation Teaching Artist at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara California.
For Small (And Very Small) Nonprofits
Based on more than twenty years of experience in fundraising, marketing, and nonprofit leadership, Erik runs a site dedicated to providing small (and very small) nonprofits with useful and practical advice for running their nonprofit. He has published four books—The Little Book of Nonprofit Leadership, The Little Book of Gold, The Little Book of Likes, and The Little Book of Boards—to help leaders of small nonprofits with fundraising, social media, and board development.
Erik has consulted with nonprofits operating on five continents, and he has facilitated board retreats across the country, including for organizations in Washington D.C., Atlanta, Las Vegas, San Francisco, as well as for many organizations across Western Washington. He has been invited to be a keynote speaker at nonprofit and association conferences, appearing across the county.
Commissioner – Metro Parks Tacoma
Erik served more than twelve years on the Metro Parks Board of Tacoma (2010 until 2022), one of five commissioners who oversaw the park district of Tacoma on behalf of the public. He was first appointed in 2010 to fill a vacancy on the board. He was later elected to keep his seat in 2011 in a competitive election. Erik earned 19,500 votes in his city-wide race, running against and defeating an incumbent who had served for 18 years in the same seat. In 2017, Erik was re-elected, this time running unopposed. He was one He served as president of the board in 2016 and 2021.
With an annual operating budget of more than $50 million, his time in office gave Erik significant experience in public administration and the public process.