Marina Escobar was named ESPN’s vice president, visual technology group, in October 2014. With more than 27 years of experience in media, she leads a team responsible for all design, development and delivery of visual technologies, including on-screen enhancements, advanced computer vision, and graphical creative development. This newly created group works closely with engineering and infrastructure to better integrate and support new tools and solutions for powering visual content across screens.
Escobar joined ESPN in March 2008 as senior director of creative technology, a position that capitalized on her unique combination of design skills and understanding of data and real-time graphics software. Her team was responsible for many innovative technologies including EA Virtual Playbook and Tabletop, remote and studio production virtual applications, Bottom Line, SportsCenter Rundown and remote and studio graphics integration. She also worked on high-profile projects such as the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups, X Games, the 2014 BCS Megacast and the launch of Digital Center 2 in May 2014. Escobar and her team have garnered many Sports Emmy Awards for their technical achievements and were honored with a 2014 Best of Disney award for LOOM, the pixel-processing system that composites visual stories in real-time on a multi-dimensional wall in the new SportsCenter studio.
Prior to joining ESPN, Escobar worked for and consulted with a wide range of companies including Discreet Logic (1998-2001), CNBC (2006-07), WBIS (1996-98) and Dow Jones Television. She was the creative services director for Melting Icecube Consultants where she utilized her background in real-time data design.
In 2001, Escobar chose a different career path, following her passion for food, and became a restaurateur, owning La Pequeña Colombia until 2008, when she joined ESPN. While working in the restaurant business, she was recognized as one of New York City’s "Successful Business Leaders." She describes this experience as "a commitment in transferring life lessons across disciplines and the importance of taking risks." Taking advantage of her diverse career choices and her bicultural nature, she volunteered for the New Immigrant Community Empowerment program of New York City, assisting immigrant children through her own life experiences.
Escobar earned her bachelor of arts in broadcast journalism from the University of Oklahoma with advanced studies in graphic design and theatre arts.
In 2013, Escobar was named a Sports Business Journal "Idea Innovator." She was honored as a nominee for the WICT Technical Achievement Award and is a member of NAMIC’s Class X Executive Leadership Development Program. She is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and is a former scholarship recipient.
