Patrick Breslin

Patrick Breslin’s "interest in Latin America began in the immigrant communities of New York City’s South Bronx where he grew up in the 1950s. After two years of newspaper work, he served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the rain forest of western Colombia and gained a lifelong interest in development.

"Breslin earned a master’s degree from NYU and a PhD from UCLA, with a focus on Latin America. Concurrently, he worked as a Peace Corps trainer, a journalist, and a research director at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

"He has published two books: Interventions, a novel set in the turbulent period of the 1973 military coup against Chilean President Salvador Allende; and Development and Dignity, about the Inter-American Foundation (IAF), a semi-independent U.S. government agency. In 1987, Breslin joined the IAF staff where he has directed research, written numerous articles, and handled country portfolios in Honduras and Colombia. As current vice president for external affairs, Breslin oversees publications and represents the IAF before Congress.

"Breslin’s articles and book reviews have appeared in major U.S. newspapers and magazines, including the Smithsonian Magazine. Topics include folklore in Ireland and Mexico, flea markets in Texas, the rebuilding of the South Bronx, human rights as a foreign policy issue, and scientific metaphors for understanding development challenges.

"In recent years Breslin has traveled frequently to Ukraine and Russia. He also has expanded his work in photography, producing photo essays on aspects of the struggle for a better life by the poor of Latin America."