Maria-Elena Varas is the Deputy Director of the Trade Commission of Chile in New York – ProChile – which is part of the General Directorate of International Economic Affairs of Chile’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Previously, Maria-Elena was a trade negotiator in bilateral and multilateral foras on behalf of the Government of Chile. She was the head negotiator for the Investment Groups of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC), the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and the World Trade Organization (WTO). She participated in negotiations for the Free Trade Agreements between Chile and the United States, the European Union, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), and Korea. Maria-Elena has a Law degree from Universidad de Chile and holds a Master degree in International Affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA).