A Panamanian insurance broker, Marta Linares de Martinelli became the First Lady of Panama on July 1, 2009. She is also an advocate for women and children’s rights.
Through the English Language Institute (ELI), she enrolled in the executive secretarial program at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. After returning home, Martinelli became an insurance broker, where she flourished until her husband was elected president of the Republic of Panama in 2009. She served as First Lady of Panama until 2014.
Since then, she has embraced her role as a strong leader, helping her country find their way around many obstacles. Her philanthropic activities focus on healthcare, economy and education, especially with women and children.
With Martinelli’s Woman’s Smile program, hundreds of women in rural Panama have plenty of reasons to hold their heads up and smile. This program gives low-income women access to much needed dental work. Another of Martinelli’s programs, Contigo Mujer Rural (With You, Rural Women), provides entrepreneurial training to women in the rural areas of Panama.