Meet the Experts: Erika Sentz

From our award-winning team of support specialists who troubleshoot technical challenges to the engineers who drive innovation across our platform to the passionate professionals who build connections with our customers and partners, every member of our globally distributed team is vital to the success of WP Engine as well as the thousands of brands and businesses we serve.

WP Engine’s mission is to power our customers’ confidence online. Our Meet the Experts series shines a light on some of the individuals who bring this mission to life through their work every day.

In this feature, we’ll introduce you to Erika Sentz, our North American Lead Events Manager based in Baltimore. She oversees planning and strategy for the in-person events WP Engine attends and sponsors throughout North America, as well as our many virtual events throughout the year!

Say hello to Erika!

For Erika, life is about finding balance. She lives just outside downtown Baltimore, which keeps her close enough to enjoy the city’s food scene, but not too far from the countryside either. While she enjoys the city, she also spends a lot of time at a horse farm near her home in Pennsylvania, often starting her mornings in the barn or in the saddle.

“It’s my reset button and my happy place,” she says. “Being remote-first means I never have to give that up.”

Outside of the stables, Erika is an avid learner. Her 35-minute commutes to the farm are often spent listening to audiobooks and podcasts like Lenny’s Podcast, From A to B, and Think Fast, Talk Smart.

“I’ve lost count of how many real-world problems I’ve solved thanks to an insight I picked up while listening to one of these,” she says.

Erika’s career journey

Erika’s path to WP Engine started with a desire for change. She was looking for a role that aligned with her passions for both technology and creating human connections.

“I had a job alert turned on for experimentation-based roles, and one day WP Engine popped up,” she recalls. “At the time, WP Engine was one of my ‘dream’ companies: tech-focused, remote-first, and a brand I already knew well from my days freelancing and building websites for small businesses.”

The hiring process moved quickly. A recruiter reached out on a Friday, and just one week later, she had an offer in hand. “Leaving my old company and my friends there wasn’t easy, but I knew this was the right move for my career,” she says.

Today, Erika leads strategy and execution for events created by, sponsored by, or attended by WP Engine. Her role oversees everything from large-scale conferences and high-touch roundtables in North America to reimagining our webinars to make them more impactful for attendees. 

Her background as a web strategist and CRO practitioner informs her approach, so every touchpoint is intentional, data-informed, and designed to be tested and optimized over time.

“I treat every event like an experiment: define the goal, test the approach, measure the results, and refine for the next time,” she explains. “That mindset ensures our events don’t just happen—they evolve, delivering more value with every iteration.”

Her role also makes her one of WP Engine’s frontline ambassadors. Whether she’s representing the brand at an in-person conference or designing virtual events that educate and inspire, Erika helps connect WP Engine with current and prospective customers, agency partners, developers, and the WordPress^Ⓡ[1] community more broadly.

Words of wisdom: Say yes, then figure it out

Erika is more than just a learner; she’s a doer. So, when asked about her best professional advice, she focuses on embracing new opportunities. “Say yes, then figure it out,” she says.

“That’s not to say you should take on everything,” she explains, “but I’ve learned that saying yes to opportunities that scare me a little has always pushed me to grow. Moving to the events team was one of those moments. I didn’t have all the answers on day one, but I trusted myself to learn, adapt, and make an impact.”

She also finds inspiration in one of WP Engine CEO Heather Brunner’s oft-repeated mantras: Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.

“As a lifelong perfectionist, that’s been a huge mindset shift,” Erika says. “Events, web, and experimentation all demand agility—sometimes you just need to launch, learn, and adjust.”

Erika is passionate about seeing beyond the tactical skills of a project, emphasizing the importance of telling the full story behind your work.

“Being able to connect the dots between what you did and why it matters to your audience will set you apart,” she says. 

Powered by people

When asked what she loves most about WP Engine, Erika’s answer echoes the sentiment shared by many of the other experts we’ve interviewed: it’s the people.

“The sheer expertise in every ‘room’—virtual or otherwise—constantly levels me up, both professionally and personally,” she says.

Erika’s work helps connect WP Engine to communities across North America and beyond as she creates intentional, thoughtful experiences that leave a lasting impact, but she credits the company with creating a culture of connection in-house as well. That collaborative, inclusive culture is especially important in a virtual-first environment.

“You can be remote and still feel deeply woven into the fabric of the company,” she says.

Want to find out more about what it’s like to work at WP Engine? Visit our careers site to explore current openings and check out our blog for more inspiring stories from WP Engine’s experts!