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Erika Kirk, the widow of the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk, has been appointed to the Board of Visitors at the United States Air Force Academy. This board serves as an advisory group that oversees various aspects such as morale, discipline, curriculum, and financial matters at the military institution. In a statement regarding her appointment, board chair August Pfluger expressed his support for Erika's selection, which he had advocated for months prior, and commended President Donald Trump for this decision. Pfluger remarked, 'Erika is the ideal candidate to take Charlie's place on the Board and to continue his mission of motivating the next generation of service members while promoting the Academy.' He added, 'I am eager to collaborate with her to uphold Charlie's legacy.'

Charlie Kirk was appointed to this board by President Trump in March 2025 and attended his inaugural meeting at the academy on August 7. Tragically, he was assassinated at Utah Valley University on September 10. Following his passing, Erika assumed leadership of Turning Point USA, the conservative organization he co-founded.

Erika Kirk, aged 36, graduated from Notre Dame Preparatory High School in Scottsdale, Arizona, in 2007. She pursued her studies at Regis University in Denver before returning to the Phoenix area after her sophomore year. She completed her undergraduate education at Arizona State University, earning degrees in political science and international relations, and also holds a degree in American legal studies from Liberty University. As per her website, she is currently working towards a doctorate in Biblical studies.

In 2012, she was crowned Miss Arizona and married Charlie Kirk in 2021, with whom she has two children: a one-year-old son and a three-year-old daughter. Prior to her role at Turning Point USA, Erika was actively involved in various charitable endeavors. At just 19, she co-founded a nonprofit called Everyday Heroes Like You with her mother, which aimed to provide toys, books, and games to hospitalized children. In 2017, she co-established the AZ Foothills Charitable Foundation alongside Michael Dee, the publisher and CEO of AZ Foothills magazine, although the foundation is currently reported as inactive. Erika later shifted her focus to Proclaim365, a clothing and lifestyle brand associated with the ministry Biblein365, which offers products such as baby blankets, bags, T-shirts, and home goods featuring Biblical verses.