Ilya Espino de Marotta was appointed Panama Canal Deputy Administrator on February 15, 2019 and took office on January 1, 2020, marking history by being the first woman to hold this position.
She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marine Engineering from Texas A&M University and a Master’s Degree in Economic Engineering from Universidad Santa María la Antigua in Panama City. She participated in the Executive Development Program from INCAE Business School and in the Kellogg School of Management of Northwestern University; and holds a Project Manager Certification from the Project Management Institute.
Mrs. Espino de Marotta began her Canal career in the Panama Canal in 1985 as the only woman engineer in the Industrial Division shipyard. She recently served as Vice President for Transit Business and as Executive Vice President for Engineering during the Panama Canal Expansion Program.