Ilya Espino de Marotta began her career at the Panama Canal in 1985. She has more than 30 years of experience on the waterway, having worked in many of the organizations diverse departments. Previous to her appointment as Deputy Administrator, she was Vice-President of Maritime Operations, responsible for Canal transit operations, emergency response, marketing analysis and customer affairs.

As a marine engineer, she is most notably known for her leadership role as Executive Vice President of Engineering in charge of the Panama Canal Expansion Program. Additionally, Ilya oversaw Canal investment projects, construction contracts, purchasing, and the construction of the first bridge spanning the Canals’ Atlantic entrance. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Marine Engineering at Texas A&M University at Galveston, Texas, a masters in Engineering Economics from Universidad Santa Maria La Antigua in Panama City, Panama. Additional academic achievements include Executive Development Programs at INCAE School of Business, and Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. She also received Project Manager Certification from the Project Management Institute in 2007. Ilya Espino de Marotta is the only woman to have risen to such a senior management position in the Panama Canal.