Elayne White is a diplomat and academic, currently serving as a Professor of Practice at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). With extensive expertise in foreign policy, security, human rights, regional integration, and global negotiations, she has held pivotal roles, including Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs and Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the United Nations.

In 2017, she presided over the United Nations Conference that successfully negotiated and adopted the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which entered into force in 2021. Her career spans decades of shaping international negotiations to address legal gaps and foster global cooperation, particularly in human rights, global health, international security, and disarmament.