Martha L. Ruiz has a special date with Oscar…

PricewaterhouseCoopers has appointed the Latina executive as a co-leader of Academy Award balloting in the 81st year that PwC has overseen the process.

She becomes one of two people who’ll know the identities of this year’s Oscar winners before they’re revealed on February 22.

Ruiz, an 18-year PwC veteran and tax partner in PwC’s entertainment, media and communications practice, replaces longtime co-leader Rick Rosas.

“PwC’s role in the Academy Award balloting process represents the firm’s lasting legacy of utmost accuracy and confidentiality,” said Ruiz in a statement. “It’s an honor to join this esteemed group.”

PwC oversees all aspects of the voting process, maintaining sole custody of all votes and tabulations, and ultimately delivering two briefcases to the ceremony, each with a full set of envelopes containing all the winners.

The briefcases are brought to the Oscars by the two co-leaders; each takes a separate, secret route to arrive backstage, where the envelopes are distributed to award presenters before they walk onstage.

Final balloting for this year’s Academy Awards runs from February 6-17.