Chelsea Sidloski graduated from York University in 2020 with an Honours degree in International Development. Her main research focused on sustainable development approaches and human security issues such as identity-based conflicts, decolonizing policies, and youth empowerment within Sub-Saharan African regions.

While pursuing her Honours degree, Chelsea spent the majority of her time working in community development where she worked for several organizations as a program coordinator, outreach worker, and community health researcher. Some of her most noteworthy work included coordinating community led development projects that fostered critical local knowledge to minimize the negative effects of Covid-19 onto marginalized communities, working along with and supervising 11 interns at a time in tree planting contracts and educational projects in western Canada, assisting in women’s health research within the pacific islands, and founding a community based organization out of Toronto that works to redefine the misconceptions of marginalized communities through outreach, journalism, and business promotion. Through her past work and lived experience in the global south, she has been able to critically strengthen her intercultural awareness, relationship building skills, and evidence-based research and development planning skills.

Chelsea is currently a candidate for the Master of International Public Policy program. During her time at the Balsillie School of International Affairs, Chelsea will be specializing in Human Security and International Environmental Policy. Chelsea looks forward to expanding her knowledge on international policy and development specifically within the global south and is eager to further explore the role of policy and security within sustainable development and the nexus of peace, conflict, and development.