Astrid Fischel-Volio is the first vice president of the Republic of Costa Rica, and the representative of Costa Rica in the Central American Council of Social Integration. She is the former minister of culture, youth and sports for Costa Rica, as well as a former professor of history and geography at the University of Costa Rica, and the former director of the University's doctorate program in education. Dr. Fischel Volio served as president of the Central American Educational and Cultural Coordination, coordinator of the Government Platform of the Unidad Social Cristiana Political Party, vice president of the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce of Costa Rica, and member of the Advisory Council “Human Sustainable Development” of Costa Rica. She is also a former researcher at the Institute of Research for the Improvement of Costa Rican Education. She received an M.A. in history from the University of Costa Rica, and a Ph.D. in history from Southampton University in the United Kingdom. Dr. Fischel Volio was a Fellow at Salzburg Seminar/EARTH University Special Session, Sustainability, Education, and the Management of Change in the Tropics, 1999.