Erika Payán Zanetti

Project Manager

Erika’s journey at The University of Texas at Austin began in 2001 with the education abroad team. She later became director of study abroad at Rice University (2008–2025) before returning to Austin as assistant director for special initiatives at Texas Global. In 2021, she transitioned to project manager, reporting to the senior vice provost, and in 2024, she joined the global initiatives and alumni relations team.

Erika holds a Master’s in Italian Studies and a Bachelor’s in Italian & Spanish from UT Austin. Her multicultural background is reflected in her personal and professional life—she met her Italian spouse, now a tenured faculty member, when he was an exchange student at UT. Beyond her academic career, Erika is a passionate musician, DJ, and vinyl enthusiast, performing regularly at local venues, including a weekly residency at Austin's premier hi-fi vinyl lounge.

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