Jodi Finkel, a professor of political science, received her PhD from UCLA. She researches human rights, judicial reform, and the rule of law in Latin America. She is president of HOY, a youth hostel/volunteer organization in Mexico (www.hoycommunity.net) and is active with the international anti-slavery movement, Free the Slaves (www.freetheslaves.net). Prior to academia, Jodi worked in Latin America as a business consultant and journalist, and also lived in Paris and Barcelona studying art. Her passions are art, museums, anything Latin American, natural history, books and stories, travel, and saving the planet.