María José Espinosa Carrillo is an economist and foreign policy expert, bringing over fifteen years of expertise in policy research, advocacy, and international relations. She is a non-resident senior fellow at the Center for International Policy and Executive Director at the Center for Democracy in the Americas (CDA), where she advances its mission to influence U.S. policy toward the Americas through thoughtful engagement, partnerships, and mutual respect.

As CDA’s Executive Director,  María José has effectively shaped advocacy, program, and communication strategies focusing on key regional issues such as migration, LGBTQ+, and women's rights, as well as protections for refugees and migrants. Her commitment to fostering dialogue has led her to amplify voices from Latin America and the Caribbean in the U.S. policy sphere and spearhead over twenty high-level U.S. delegations on informative trips to Central America, Cuba, and the U.S.-Mexico border.

Earlier in her career, María José delved into the economic, political, and social facets of U.S. relations with Asia and Oceania and taught at the University of Havana's School of Economics. María José was recognized by New America as one of the 2020 Latino National Security & Foreign Policy Next Generation Leaders. She holds an M.Sc. in Environmental Economics and Tourism from the Universitat de les Illes Balears in Spain; an M.Sc. in Economics from the University of Havana in Cuba; and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Havana.