Erika Payán Zanetti

Erika Payán Zanetti is a program manager at Texas Global. Her career journey at The University of Texas at Austin began in 2001 as a member of the education abroad staff. She later became director of study abroad at Rice University (2008–2015) before returning to Austin as assistant director for special initiatives at Texas Global. In 2021, she transitioned to project manager, reporting to the inaugural senior vice provost of global engagement and chief international officer, and in 2024, she joined the Global Initiatives and Alumni Relations unit.

Erika holds a Master’s in Italian Studies and a Bachelor’s in Italian & Spanish from The University of Texas at Austin. Her multicultural background is reflected in her personal and professional life—both her father and husband were international students from Colombia and Italy, respectively. Beyond her career in academia, Erika is a passionate musician, DJ, and vinyl enthusiast with weekly residency at Austin's award-winning hi-fi vinyl lounge, where she also serves as the assistant music manager.