Rita Lerma brings a wealth of experience and dedication to UTEP Athletics, currently serving in her 25th year as the Executive Assistant to Vice President and Director of Athletics Jim Senter. In this pivotal role, Lerma expertly manages the Director's dynamic schedule, encompassing appointments, meetings, speaking engagements, UTEP events, and comprehensive travel arrangements. Her meticulous approach ensures seamless organization and efficient workflow.
Beyond her direct support of the Director, Lerma fosters crucial connections with the President’s Office, Conference USA, and Lead1, coordinating logistics for upcoming meetings and events. Her collaborative spirit extends to the Executive Team and the women's golf, volleyball, and beach volleyball programs, where she provides invaluable administrative support. This includes managing all paperwork related to team travel and recruiting, handling financial processes such as cash advances and reimbursements, processing tournament entries, coordinating gear orders, and managing game day requisitions, readily addressing the diverse needs of coaches and staff.
Lerma's responsibilities also encompass the coordination of head coaches’ meetings, the management of the Brumbelow Building conference room calendar, and the oversight of UPS shipping. She plays a significant role in celebrating student-athlete achievements by coordinating the Spring and Fall Graduation Frame Ceremonies. Furthermore, Lerma is instrumental in organizing the prestigious Flo Hyman Awards and the National Girls and Women in Sports Day banquets, and she provides support for the annual Golden Pick Awards. Her attention to detail extends to processing purchase orders for Graduation Frames and Letter Award Jackets.
Lerma's journey with UTEP began in the Athletic Business Office, where she honed her skills in processing accounting paperwork. In 2007 she was the proud recipient of the Distinguished Achievement Award for Service to Students.
A proud lifelong resident of El Paso and a graduate of Burges High School, Lerma is deeply rooted in the community. She has been happily married for 32 years to Ramon Lerma III, a retired electrician from Union Pacific Railroad. Together, they have raised three children – Rod, Marisela, and Angela – and are the proud grandparents of Jakob, Jerod, Zaiden, Emma and Eduardo. In her leisure time, Lerma enjoys expressing her creativity through crafting personalized gifts for her loved ones.
