Erin and friend Jenny Nicholas at SDSU in 2001
Erin and roommate Andrea Jarvis in London for SDSU study abroad program in 2003
Show host Ashley Colburn and producer Erin O'Neill at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Miami Swim
Erin and her SMCPD colleagues gather prior to 2019 graduation ceremonies
Colleague Jennifer Jones and Erin celebrating a friend's nuptials
Erin, Dagmar Gorman, Cindy Ordaz, Kennisha Green, Joan Kang, and Jonathan Rosas at the CSEA 2025 conference in Reno, NV
Erin finding art in Santa Maria, CA
Erin at an immersive art museum in San Diego, CA
For many people seeking help from the Santa Monica College Police Department (SMCPD), administrative assistant Erin O’Neill is the first person they meet. Erin sits at the front desk, answering the nonemergency phone line, greeting visitors, and helping guide them in the first steps of reporting an incident, retrieving lost property or speaking with an officer.
“Sometimes people are scared just to walk in. I try to help ease that,” she says. The result, she adds, is “a warm handoff” to the person best able to help.
Erin’s ability to listen carefully and respond with what’s needed are central to her work at the SMCPD. It is reinforced by her graduate training as well. O’Neill holds a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy and has completed fieldwork in counseling. While she does not practice clinically, the skills developed — de-escalation, active listening, emotional awareness — are invaluable in her daily work.
Lifelong Learner
Erin grew up moving frequently, living in various states before her family relocated to California after she graduated from high school. The experience accustomed her to change.
She attended Allan Hancock College before transferring to San Diego State University, where her curiosity took her in many directions. She explored majors ranging from theater and dance to kinesiology, biology and liberal studies. Journalism ultimately became her sixth major, paired with English, and it stuck. She graduated summa cum laude, and as the valedictorian of her journalism major.
“I’ve always loved learning,” she says. “And journalism lets you learn constantly — about people, about the world, about stories.”
She imagined herself as a newspaper reporter, drawn to the idea of telling stories that mattered. But when she graduated in 2005, the newspaper industry was significantly contracting and jobs were scarce. A listing on Craigslist led her to cable television, launching a career in media production that would take her around the world.
Behind the Camera
As a television producer and filmmaker, Erin wrote scripts, planned shoots, coordinated interviews, scheduled crews and edited footage — often under tight timelines and limited budgets.
She filmed fashion weeks, international travel features and art showcases, including a three-part documentary series at the Louvre in Paris, shot on a day when the museum was closed to the public (at one point, she found herself standing alone in front of the “Mona Lisa,” waiting while a camera crew member retrieved a forgotten lens cap).
Erin’s talent and diligence earned her a regional Emmy Award for a show highlighting the La Jolla Festival of the Arts. The project allowed her to blend visual storytelling with careful attention to artists’ voices — an approach that felt deeply personal. Her mother had been a graphic artist, and creativity a part of the household she grew up in.
Yet even as she succeeded professionally, Erin began questioning whether the work fulfilled her desire to make a positive difference.
“I loved the creativity,” she says. But she also wanted something more.
An SMC Calling
In the early 2010s, Erin began looking for work that aligned more closely with her values. Community colleges stood out immediately. Having attended one herself, she understood their impact — and their importance.
In 2012, she joined Santa Monica College as an administrative assistant at the SMCPD. The role drew directly on her organizational skills, her ability to manage complex logistics and, perhaps most importantly, her capacity to work with people in sensitive moments.
At SMC, the SMCPD plays a critical role in maintaining safety and supporting the campus community. As an employee who is a civilian, Erin helps create a welcoming first point of contact, ensuring that those who come in know they will get the help they need.
People arrive for many reasons: a damaged car, a lost backpack, an incident that needs reporting. Some arrive visibly upset. Erin is a steadying presence, walking them through the process and connecting them with the appropriate resources.
She credits the department’s leadership for recognizing the value of empathy and communication in public safety work — and for encouraging her to bring her full skill set to the role.
Creativity and Community
Erin’s creative skills come into play in her role at SMC as well. She has helped script and narrate safety videos, contributed to campus communications following critical incidents, and supported community-facing efforts designed to build trust between students and campus police.
One such project was a haunted house hosted by the department, created to give students and families a chance to engage with campus police in a relaxed setting. Projects like these, Erin says, reflect the department’s community spirit.
She also serves the campus in other ways, including as a member of the Classified Professional Development Committee and Holiday Happiness Committee. Other roles for the greater SMC community include her work on the Caring Campus Initiative, which aims to help make the campus more welcoming for students and create culture change across SMC.
At SMC, Erin serves as communications officer for the college’s chapter of the California School Employees Association (CSEA), the union that represents classified/non-teaching staff. She is also a state leader in CSEA and supports staff from Santa Monica to northern Los Angeles County and San Luis Obispo in her role on the CSEA Communications Committee.
Duty Beyond the Desk
At the SMCPD front desk, Erin works alongside colleague Jennifer Jones, forming a team that balances professionalism with warmth. Together, they make sure everyone who walks in feels supported. Sometimes, that means answering straightforward questions. Other times, it means offering reassurance and helping people regain composure before getting the needed service.
The duo receive frequent reminders that their jobs matter. Many return later to say thank you. Others ask for a hug. Many comment on how relieved they felt after walking through the door.
“I wanted to help people,” Erin says. “And here, I get to do that every day.”
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SMC in Focus Volume XII, Issue 1
Hope for the Unhoused
An assignment in SMC’s Homeless Service Work certificate program led Patricia Kusaba to launch an online toolkit to help people in need. Read Article
Frontline Responder
From award-winning journalist to first point of contact at the SMC Police Department, Erin O’Neill brings empathy and creativity to a vital role. Read Article
Woodshop Until He Drops
Meet Terry Kamibayashi, Santa Monica College’s reggae-loving, easy-going director of facilities maintenance. Read Article
Solo & Ensemble
SMC redefines the library experience to support both personal study and group collaboration. With a $1 million renovation, the award-winning 96,000 sq.ft. space has been reimagined. Read Article
Bragging Rights
The Architecture program recognized as an Exemplary Program. A counseling instructor appointed to statewide FACCC Board of Governors. A sociology prof interviewed on a popular Apple crime podcast. Read Article
#2016 Era SMC in Focus: A Look Back
SMC in Focus does a #2016Era throwback. Ten stories—Nursing’s 50-year anniversary, Emeritus, Promo Pathway, SMC students at NASA/JPL, & more—celebrate SMC’s excellence: past, present & future. Read Article