The H.E. Laura Chinchilla is the Former President of Costa Rica (2010-2014) and vice president (2006-2008), congresswoman (2002-2006), and Minister of Security and Justice (1994-1998).

During her presidency, she promoted the economic recovery of Costa Rica after the world recession of the years 2007-2009; among other policies, through a strong drive to attract investment and open trade through agreements signed with the European Union, China and Singapore. She also launched the process for entry to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Her government promoted policies regarding the strengthening of the tax and customs administrations, fiscal transparency, technical education, comprehensive early childhood care and improvement of the conditions of women for their insertion in the labor market. She also put in place a special regime for the protection of the marine biodiversity of Costa Rica, which received international recognition. 

At the international level, she has participated in projects of the IDB, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on issues of sustainable development, institutional reform, rule of law, and strengthening citizen security. Ms. Chinchilla has been a member of the advisory councils of the Human Development Report of the United Nations Development Program 2019 and 2020. She is vice president of the Club de Madrid, co-chair of the Inter-American Dialogue, and active member of Concordia Summit, the Atlantic Council and the International Olympic Committee.

She has taught at Georgetown University, the Monterrey Institute of Technology in Mexico, and at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil and has published various articles and delivered multiple conferences on issues of sustainable development, human rights, democracy, institutional reform and security. She graduated from the University of Costa Rica and has a master’s degree in public policy from Georgetown University.