Born in 1983, Erin Tarlowe grew up in a rural area of northern New Jersey, developing a love of teaching and learning at a young age. She earned her B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Rutgers University and began a successful career in the technology field, but never found it fulfilling. Knowing her passions were teaching and math, she moved to New York City in 2006 and earned her M.A in Mathematics Education from Teachers College - Columbia University.

The first three years of her teaching career were spent working with struggling overage students in a transfer high school, and she now brings to Lyons the same patience, dedication, and talent that helped her reach those students. Outside of school, she's actively involved in LGBT education and outreach, runs her own craft business, and simply enjoys life in the city with her wife Jessica.