His writings on democratic governance, multilateralism, drug policy, security issues, and politics in the Andean countries have also been published in many Latin American newspapers and magazines, including Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Guatemala, Panama, and Jamaica.

Shifter graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude from Oberlin College, Ohio, and then completed a master's degree in sociology at Harvard University[1] where he taught Latin American development and politics for four years.

Before that, starting in 1987, he directed the Ford Foundation's governance and human rights program in the Andean region and Southern Cone, where he was based, first, in Lima, Peru and then in Santiago, Chile.

In 2000, Mr. Shifter directed an independent task force on US policy towards Colombia, organized by the Dialogue and the Council on Foreign Relations and co-chaired by Senator Bob Graham (D-Fl) and former national security adviser Brent Scowcroft.

Since 1994, Shifter has played a major role in shaping the Dialogue's agenda, commissioning policy-relevant articles and reports as well as implementing the organization's program strategy in relation to the Andean countries.