Laura Chinchilla Miranda, former President of the Republic of Costa Rica, and Mick Mulvaney, a former U.S. Congressman and White House Chief of Staff, have been named the 2025-26 John W. Nixon ’53 Distinguished Policy Fellows at the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy.

As Brooks School Nixon Policy Fellows, President Chinchilla and Ambassador Mulvaney will visit the Cornell campus in Ithaca over the course of the academic year to guest lecture, host student office hours on careers in public policy and contemporary policy issues, and connect with faculty on research aligned with their expertise.

“We are thrilled to welcome President Chinchilla and Ambassador Mulvaney as this year’s Brooks Nixon Policy Fellows,” said Brooks School Dean Colleen Barry. “As distinguished leaders with experience at the highest level of national and global political affairs, they will bring distinctive viewpoints to our classroom and campus conversations and engage our community with new ways to foster democracy through democratic practices, public policy, and civil discourse.”

President Chinchilla, a political scientist with a master’s degree in public policy from Georgetown University. She was the first woman to be elected president of Costa Rica (2010-2014). Previously, she served as minister of public security (1996-1998), congresswoman (2002-2006), minister of justice (2006-2008), and vice president (2006-2008).  

Following her political career, President Chinchilla has remained active in public affairs and global agenda issues. She currently serves as co-chair of the Inter-American Dialogue think tank, vice president of Club de Madrid, an independent, non-partisan organization created to promote democracy, and member of international initiatives like the United Nations Human Development Report and the International Olympic Committee.

“I am excited to get to know the Brooks School better and to work with the students and faculty on the pressing issues facing global democracy as well as the national issues that shape the way we work together as nations,” said Chinchilla. “Training the next generation of leaders to understand public policy will be crucial to the success of democracy in the Americas and around the globe.”

Ambassador Mulvaney began his political career in the South Carolina General Assembly, where he held elected office in both the House of Representatives and in the Senate. He served as U.S. Congressman, representing South Carolina’s 5th congressional district from 2011-17, before being appointed Director of the Office of Budget and Management (OMB) and, subsequently, acting White House Chief of Staff in the first Trump administration. He later served as U.S. Special Envoy to Northern Ireland, an ambassadorial role.

“I am so pleased to join the Brooks School this year to engage with the students and faculty. My career in public service has led me to many places and taught me valuable lessons that I hope I can share, whether we’re discussing fiscal policy, international law, or diplomacy,” Mulvaney said. “Under Dean Barry’s leadership, Brooks has embraced the importance of political discourse across party lines and dialogue across differences, and I’m truly pleased to be involved.”

The Nixon Fellows program contributes to the Brooks School of Public Policy’s Learning and Leading Through Difference Initiative, which aims to advance civil discourse, strengthen democracy and develop students’ capacity to be thoughtful, purpose-driven leaders.