#Hashtag | Apr. 2023
#HASHTAG: ERIN DONALDSON
By Dustin O’Regan
ILLUSTRATION BY TOM BACHTELL
Winnetka’s ERIN DONALDSON spent her early post-graduate years singing and tap dancing across The Goodman Theatre and Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s stages. A vocal cord injury sidelined her theater career, but not one to miss a beat, Donaldson pivoted into advertising, where she helped real estate mogul and Shark Tank star Barbara Corcoran build a multi-billion-dollar brand. Her current roles include volunteering as a Court Appointed Special Advocate working with children in the Lake County juvenile court system and in the philanthropic arena she is working with New Trier seniors on the Rush Junior Board’s upcoming spring fashion show. This protean producer takes a break from volunteering to share how she stays current in a busy world.
#ON MY NIGHTSTAND
I keep How to Raise an Adult by Julie Lythcott-Haims next to my bed to remind me to worry less and give my teenagers the message ‘you’re capable and you’ve got this.’ For my book club I just finished Amor Towles’ saga The Lincoln Highway. It took a few chapters to connect with the story, but I’m glad I stuck with it. There are some beautiful moments in that book. Lastly I’m listening to The Guncle by Steven Rowley on my dog walks. Funny and sweet, this story of a gay uncle helping his niece and nephew process grief is the perfect long walk companion.
#ON MY MOBILE
I lived in New York City for years. Though I’m glad I no longer hang my hat there, I have a soft spot for its energy, brownstones, and the hidden treasures tucked into every neighborhood. I get my NYC fix by following Anna Page (@annawpage). She’s transformed her tiny Upper East Side apartment into a classically beautiful jewel box. I like to follow her and her newborn son on their coffee runs and walks through the city.
#IN MY EARBUDS
I’m belatedly binging Ear Hustle, a nonfiction podcast about life in prison recorded by inmates of San Quentin. While not my normal bent, I’ve found this series moving, funny, and educational all at once. If not for Ear Hustle I wouldn’t know anything about ‘cellies,’ ‘kites,’ or ‘the SHU.’
