Erika Payán Zanetti

For more than two decades, Erika Payán Zanetti has worked at the intersection of higher education and global engagement. She began her career in education abroad at The University of Texas at Austin in 2001 before joining Rice University, where she served as director of study abroad and led a period of growth and innovation in international programming. She returned to UT Austin to further the University's global engagement strategy, including supporting the inaugural senior vice provost for global engagement and chief international officer. Today, as a program manager in Texas Global's Global Initiatives and Alumni Relations unit, she cultivates strategic partnerships, strengthens international networks, and creates opportunities for students and faculty that extend the University's global reach.

 

Erika holds a Master's in Italian Studies and a Bachelor's in Italian and Spanish from The University of Texas at Austin. Her commitment to global engagement is informed by both her professional experience and her family's international ties, which connect her to Colombia, Italy, and Argentina. Her appreciation for cultural exchange extends beyond higher education into music, where she is a record collector, music curator, and DJ whose work centers on global musical traditions and community connection.