Erica received her Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from the University of New Mexico, her Master of Arts degree in French Horn Performance from the University of Mississippi, and her Doctor of Arts degree in French Horn Performance/Brass Pedagogy with a secondary emphasis in Conducting from the University of Northern Colorado.

After completing her course work in Colorado, Dr.Otero played first horn for two years in South America with the Orquesta Sinfónica del Valle in Cali, Colombia. Upon returning to New Mexico, she taught elementary music with the Albuquerque Schools for ten years and preschool music with the UNM Music Prep school for five years. She currently teaches music education and music appreciation courses for the UNM Department of Music.

She is principal horn with the San Juan Symphony and plays both principal and second horn for Opera Southwest, and has performed in the Bosque Chamber Music Society. In addition, she teaches privately and freelances with Santa Fe Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra, Canticum Novum Chamber Orchestra and Chorus of Santa Fe, and the New Mexico Symphony and Santa Fe Symphony orchestras.