Rita Verreos

Rita married actor and producer Carl Mergenthaler on June 8, 2014.

Rita was recruited by Survivor casting director Lynne Spillman at a beauty pageant, and became a contestant on Survivor: Fiji, the 14th season of the series. Her strategy was to draw on her sex appeal to win the show's million dollar prize. She lost 15 pounds during filming, and suffered broken cartilage in her nose. Verreos was the sixth castaway to leave the island.

Verreos was a contestant on the May 29th, 2009, episode of The Price is Right, making it on stage by becoming the closest bidder and won her pricing game. At the wheel, Verreos came 35 cents shy of winning the first showcase showdown. Verreos debut on televisión was in 2003 as a TV spokesperson for H-E-B, a Texas based supermarket chain which aired on the Kens 5 (CBS) morning talk show, "Great Day SA."

Verreos went on to host "En Nuestro Hogar," which aired on Telemundo and Azteca America in San Antonio (June, 2007), fill-in for the Kens 5 (CBS) morning news Traffic Anchor (2008), a Guest Host on HSN (Jan 2009-Jan. 2010) and as a "Beauty Tips Host/Expert" on Fox UTILISIMA's "Hola Martin" (Aug.2011-Dec. 2011), Fill-In "News Desk Anchor," (KVDA) TELEMUNDO. She appeared as the TV Spokesperson in the World Car TV commercials (UNIVISION,TELEMUNDO,2008–2014) as well as their infomercials on WOAI(San Antonio). She has appeared in the National TV commercials with leading roles in SAFELINK celular phones and [BEDOYECTA]] Vitamins. She created, Produced and was Host of LATIN CONNECTION TV webshow (2008-2014). From 2017-2018, she appeared in roles in the TELEMUNDO televisión series SANGRE DE MÍ TIERRA(2017), AL OTRO LADO DEL MURO (2018), MI FAMILIA PERFECTA (2018). She's currently one of the few News Anchors presenting and producing news casts for both Spanish language (TELEMUNDO KXTQ & KASA) and English language (FOX34) networks.

Verreos competed in San Antonio magazine Conexión's 2005 "Hottest Latina" contest, placing as second runner-up, and in the CMT reality television program The Ultimate Coyote Ugly Search.

A native of Venezuela, Verreos moved to San Francisco with her family when she was 8 years old. She attended UC Berkeley before graduating with Cum Laude from the University of California at Los Angeles with a bachelor's degree in Italian and French Literature. She is a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society. After graduating from UCLA, she got married and moved to Mexico City to live with her husband and children for 11 years before moving to San Antonio in 2003. She and her husband divorced in 2004.

Verreos is a former professional ballerina, and has modeled in Venezuela, Mexico, and Los Angeles, for designers such as Oscar de la Renta and Victor Alfaro. She also appeared in the 1990 film Marked for Death. Rita was the "In Arena" Host at the AT & T Center for the Spurs Organization female basketball team the Silver Stars during the 2010 season. In 2008, she was awarded the "Outstanding Achievement in Entertainment" Award by La Prensa Newspaper. In 2010, Rita won the "Dancing with the Lonestars" Ballroom dancing competition to raise funds for a local charity in San Antonio, TX. In 2011, Rita received the President of the United States "Call to Service" Award for Lifetime Achievement in Volunteerism for her decade of Philanthropic work.

Verreos was a contestant in the Miss Venezuela 1988 pageant while representing Municipio Vargas, and competed in the 1988 "Reinado Mundial de Banano" pageant in Machala, Ecuador, placing second to Ximena Correa of Ecuador. Verreos has also judged many pageants, including Miss Oklahoma USA, Miss Kansas USA, Miss Hawaiian Tropic San Antonio, Miss, Teen & Mrs. International. She's currently one of the Top Beauty Pageant Coaches in the U.S., coaching young women for many pageants including Miss Texas, Miss California and Miss USA pageants.

Rita Rosina Verreos (born July 19, 1968) is a TV host, news anchor, actress, beauty pageant coach, model, and former beauty pageant & reality television contestant.