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RIDGELAND – For Holmes Community College alumna Kathryn Watkins Erickson, what began as curiosity in her father’s AutoCAD classroom on the Ridgeland Campus has evolved into a distinguished career spanning innovation, leadership and mentorship in the technology industry.
The daughter of longtime Holmes employees, Erickson is a native of Mississippi who quite literally grew up on campus; her mother, Jackie, also worked at Holmes for the better part of a decade before retiring.
“In kindergarten I took the bus to Holmes and went to my dad’s classroom to wait for him to finish up,” she recalled. “He was teaching AutoCAD, and I thought it was fascinating. As a 5-year-old, I had no idea that I was watching a technology wave happen.”
That early exposure sparked a lifelong interest in technology. When it came time to choose a college, Holmes was the natural next step.
“I was 17 when I started at Holmes,” Erickson said. “I wasn’t ready for a four-year university. I needed the location, smaller class sizes and dedicated teachers that Holmes offered. I learned that my classmates chose Holmes for different reasons – we were all there because we needed something that Holmes provided, and that bonded us.”
While pursuing her studies in computer science, Erickson found herself inspired not only by the subject matter but by the instructors who helped her discover her potential.
“In Zoology I learned how good it felt to do my best work, even if it took longer,” she said. “In Calculus I learned that I could survive anything, but that sometimes I’d need to ask for help. In World History I learned that if you want something to be memorable, you need to tell a good story.”
After graduating from Holmes, Erickson earned her Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering from the University of Southern Mississippi, where she also served as a network administrator. She later earned a Master of Science in Information Security from Johns Hopkins University, a journey that tested her perseverance and self-belief.
“I got a 7 on my first test at Hopkins,” she said with a laugh. “I called my dad and said, ‘I’m coming home.’ But he told me to stay until December since it was already paid for. That advice gave me freedom – to make the most of it. I learned to fail, to get back up and to keep going.”
Erickson went on to build an impressive career in technology, working with organizations such as the National Science Foundation, MITRE Corporation, Fusion-io and SanDisk, where she led teams in research, cybersecurity and data systems engineering. At MITRE, she patented research that helped government agencies transfer large files more efficiently over slow networks – a key innovation in the federal research space.
After years in the federal sector, Erickson transitioned to the private technology industry, joining DataStax, a leader in cloud database technology. Over nearly 10 years with the company, she has served in multiple leadership roles, including sales engineering manager, senior director of ecosystem partners and vice president of product and strategy. Her work has included rebuilding strategic partnerships with Amazon Web Services, Microsoft and Google Cloud, leading product-led growth initiatives and driving corporate strategy and innovation.
Most recently, Erickson co-authored “Tech Confidential: The Insider’s Playbook for Daring Entrepreneurs” with Denise Koessler Gosnell, offering a candid and entertaining glimpse into the triumphs, challenges and hard-earned lessons of navigating the tech world. In a full-circle moment, Erickson finished writing her book in the Holmes Ridgeland Campus library over the summer while her daughter went to sailing camp in Madison.
“We wanted to share the lessons we learned, the traps we fell into and the cliffs we leapt from while on this crazy journey,” she said. “We also wanted to help people realize it’s okay to laugh at the absurdity. Sometimes everything feels so serious in the moment, but later you think, ‘Why did I let that get to me?’”
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Erickson is passionate about open-source economics, strategy and painting. She continues to mentor young professionals entering the field and offers practical advice to current Holmes students pursuing technology careers.
“Network your butt off in a way that’s authentic to you,” she said. “Know your values and stick to them – don’t lose yourself. Your bosses aren’t responsible for your mental health. It’s your job to save yourself. Be your own hero.”
Balancing a demanding career with family life, Erickson has also learned what truly matters.
“Your boss will never remember what you did on any given date,” she reflected, “but your kid will remember that you missed their birthday. Regardless of your role at work, you are replaceable. For the people who matter to you outside of work, you are not.”
Looking back, Erickson credits Holmes for giving her the foundation that made all the difference.
“You will learn a lot while at Holmes, but if you do the work to be part of the community, the instructors will invest in you directly,” she said. “That kind of personal investment is rare – and it’s something I still carry with me today.”
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