Erwin Lee Acox

About Erwin Lee Acox

Erwin Acox brings more than two decades of leadership across military service, government agencies, social impact organizations, and Fortune 500 consulting—driven by one conviction: committed people can transform the world when given the conditions to truly thrive.A U.S. Army veteran awarded the Bronze Star for service in Operation Desert Storm, Erwin learned early that leadership means meeting people where they are and drawing out capabilities they didn’t know they possessed. He pursued deep study in organizational change, earning his BA in Psychology, MA in Training and Development, and MBA, equipping himself to understand human behavior, learning systems, and organizational transformation.His career is one of increasing scale and mastery in culture change. At Illinois Department of Transportation, he led cultural transformation and diversity recruitment for employees with a $6.3M budget, increasing representation of women and minorities by 30% year-over-year—earning the Rosa Parks Diversity Award for Excellence in Advancing Diversity. At Cook County Government, he directed HR operations and navigated complex union negotiations. As founder of ELFA, LLC, he consulted with Fortune 500 companies and coached 50+ nonprofit executives on organizational effectiveness.At Tides, Erwin built the organization’s first DEI department from scratch, transforming workplace culture and driving 35% increase in retention while advising 175 fiscally sponsored projects. His culture change expertise combines rigorous analytics with mediation skills—facilitating difficult conversations, navigating conflict, structuring dialogue, and building trust. He integrates contemplative practice from his military experience, helping leaders regulate during high-stakes moments and navigate organizational trauma with clarity.Now at NRDC, Erwin partners with executive leadership to embed equity across a 700-person global organization. He understands environmental advocacy is demanding work—and that people need workplaces where they can develop fully, sustain themselves, and bring their best to the mission. Erwin creates conditions where committed employees can thrive.

Experience

1. Managing Director

   Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)

   Mar 2023 — Present · San Francisco, CA, US

   NRDC is the nation\'s most effective environmental action organization. We use law, science and the support of 1.3 million members and online activists to protect the planet\'s wildlife and wild places and to ensure a safe and healthy environment for all living things.

Education

• National Equity Project

  Facilitating Conversations Around Race and Equity

• Roosevelt University

  Bachelor of Arts, Psychology

• Roosevelt University

  MBA, Business Administration and Management, Commercial Real Estate

• Roosevelt University

  Master of Arts, Training and Development, HR, Organizational Development, Instructional Design, Process Improvement

• Los Angeles County Bar Association

  Mediation/Alternative Dispute Resolution

• National Equity Institute

  Leading for Equity in Complex Organizations

• Northern California Grantmakers

  Racial Equity Action Institute

• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

  Accounting

Skills

• Public Speaking
• Diversity Recruitment
• Diversity & Inclusion
• Leadership
• Diversity Program Development
• Workforce Analytics
• Interviewing Skills
• Onboarding
• Program Management
• Training
• Strategic Planning
• Management
• Community Outreach
• Strategy
• Analysis
• Human Resources
• Nonprofits
• Project Management
• Proposal Writing
• Recruiting
• Project Planning
• Leadership Development
• Process Improvement
• Research
• Marketing
• Event Planning
• Social Media
• Team Building
• Software Documentation
• Technical Writing
• Social Networking
• Budgets
• Policy Analysis
• Consulting
• Program Development
• Vendor Management
• Data Analysis
• Talent Management
• Technical Documentation
• Employee Training