Speaker bio

Samantha Sidline, MSW, ASW, is a San Diego State University alum and an international social worker practicing in the U.S.-Mexico border region since 2019. She specializes in health and well-being among migrant populations, developing expertise in trauma-informed care through her work with asylum-seeking women and children in San Diego and Tijuana. Her background in global health and community development includes work in diverse settings from California to Ecuador. Sidline has designed and implemented programs supporting mental and reproductive health, including innovative peer education and support curricula. Her qualitative research emphasizes the lived experiences and resilience of asylum-seekers, while her practice approach combines direct service provision with systems-level change. Recognized for her potential to drive transformative change while an undergraduate at University of Oregon, Sidline emphasizes relationship-rooted, intercultural, and community-driven solutions at the intersection of migration and health.