President Chinchilla is a political scientist who holds a master’s degree in public policy from Georgetown University. She currently serves as President of the Club de Madrid, the world’s largest forum of former democratic heads of state and government dedicated to advancing democratic values and effective governance worldwide. She made history as the first woman elected president of Costa Rica, serving from 2010 to 2014. Prior to her presidency, she held several key public service roles, including Minister of Public Security (1996–1998), Congresswoman (2002–2006), Minister of Justice (2006–2008), and Vice President (2006–2008).