Marina von Neumann Whitman, a trailblazing economist and international trade expert, has passed away at 90. The daughter of famed mathematician John von Neumann, she carved her own path as a respected academic, White House advisor, and corporate executive—breaking barriers for women in economics and policy.

Editor’s Note: Whitman wasn’t just an accomplished economist—she was a symbol of how women could reshape male-dominated fields like trade policy and corporate leadership. Her death marks the loss of a pivotal figure who bridged academia, government, and business during decades of global economic transformation. Readers might recognize her name from her work on NAFTA or her time as GM’s first female VP, but her broader legacy lies in proving expertise has no gender.