Xochitl Castañeda

Xóchitl Castañeda is the Founding Director of Health Initiative of the Americas (HIA) at the School of Public Health, University of California (UC) Berkeley. A medical anthropologist by training, Xóchitl was educated in Guatemala and Mexico. She completed three post-doctoral fellowships: UC San Francisco, Harvard, and Amsterdam University. She directed the Reproductive Health Department at Mexico's National School of Public Health for seven years. Since 2008, she has served as a professor in Migration and Health at various UC campuses. She has received over 100 grants from private entities and state and federal agencies.

Her leadership to improve the health and quality of life of underserved populations is widely recognized. In 2020 she received the National Health Award, under the "Without Borders" category. In 2019, she received the Ohtli Award, presented by the Mexican government to a person who has positively affected the lives of Mexican nationals in the United States and other countries. In 2010, the California Latino Legislative Caucus honored her with the National Spirit Award for her leadership to improve the health of Latino immigrants in the U.S. In 1999, she received the National Mexican Award in Social Science and Medicine.

Xochitl has over 200 publications and has served as a consultant for more than 40 national and international institutions. She has also served on the board of directors and other membership positions of 20 organizations and programs including the California Wellness Foundation, California Immigrant Policy Center, CDC National Diabetes Education Program, the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California, and the National Council of Mexican Federations in North America (COFEM). She has contributed to the editorial board to 15 professional publications. She has presented the results of her academic and advocacy work in over 500 national and international conferences, symposiums, policy briefings, and other events.

Her vision and commitment have led to the creation of nationally-recognized health programs for underserved populations. Under her direction, HIA has coordinated Binational Health Week for 20 consecutive years, one of the largest mobilization efforts in the Americas to improve the wellbeing of Latino immigrants. She has created the Annual Binational Policy Forum on Migration and Global Health, a collaboration among 30 universities and over 200 agencies. She is also the founder of the Athenea Network, a world organization for the mental health of mobile populations. She has signed 50 memorandums of understanding with local, state, and federal institutions. Through these strategies, hundreds of thousands of low-income families have been served.

Programmatic Achievements[]

2017-Present: Leader Organizer. Summer School on Refugee and Migrant Health Collaboration between HIA and WHO Regional Office for Europe.

2001-Present: Leader Coordinator. Annual Binational Health Week and Binational Policy Forum on Migration and Global Health.

2014–2019: Academic Coordinator. UC-Mexico Health Initiative, Health Working Group. Led by UCOP, UNAM, and CONACYT to advance scientific binational collaborations

2013-2014: Funder, Board Member, and responsible for Public Affairs. Network of Mexican Immigrant Women in the US (REMEX, for its Spanish acronym).

2013–Present: Program leader. Agricultural Workers Occupational Health and Safety Resource Center. Collaboration between HIA and Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, UCD http://migranthealth.ucdavis.edu

2013–Present: Funder. Migration and Health Resource Repository. Collaboration with UCB-SPH, UCGHI-COEMH and MAHRC http://agcenter.ucdavis.edu/migration/migration.php

2011–2019: Founding Director. Zacatecan Binational Health Initiative (IBIZA). Collaboration between HIA and the Government of the State of Zacatecas http://hiaibiza.wordpress.com/

2010: Campaign Director. H1N1 Vaccination Campaign to reach hard-to-reach Latinos in California. CDC through the CDPH.

2010–Present: Funder and Co-Director "Athenea Network" . World Organization for Mental Health and Mobile Populations. International Mental Migrant Health Congress. http://laredatenea.com/english/index.html

2006–Present: Executive Administrator. Summer Institute on Migration and Health and Research Training Workshop. SPH-UCB, UCGHI/COEMH.

2005–Present: Director. Research Program on Migration and Health (PIMSA). The largest US-Mexico leading academic network of researchers and doctoral students. Partnership with University of Arizona, Texas A & M University, CONACYT, University of Illinois at Chicago, University of New Mexico, University of Minnesota, and State University of New York.

2005: Founder Partner. Ventanilla de Salud program (VDS-Health Stations at Mexican Consulates). Today VDS is in 50 Mexican consulates in the US serving a range of 100-800 people daily. Other Latin American countries have adopted the concept.

2002-2012: Leader. Annual Binational Immersion Exchange Program for Health Providers on Migrant Health Issues. Collaboration with the Mexican Secretariats of Health and of Foreign Affairs.

2002-2012: Director. Annual UC-Mexico Medical, Pharmacy, Public Health and Nursing Students Academic Immersion Program. Ten UC Campuses and key Mexican hospitals.

2002-2005: Co-Director. Special Call for Proposals: Migration and Health Issues in Mexico and California in partnership with UC-MEXUS.

2001–Present: Lead Person. Signing Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs) with over 46 national and international institutions and programs to improve the health of immigrant populations http://hia.berkeley.edu/index.php?page=agreements

2001-2003: Responsible for the Media Campaign. "Paisano tu salud es tan importante como tu trabajo"

Board Member and Honorable Positions[]

2020-Present: Board of Directors, Migrant Clinicians Network (MCN)

2017-2018: Vice-Chair, UC California HIV/AIDS Research Program

2016–Present: Advisory Board Member. MEX I AM, Consulate General of Mexico in San Francisco

2015–Present: Board of Directors, The California Wellness Foundation

2014–2018: Advisory Member. University of California HIV/AIDS Research Program

2014–Present: Leadership Committee Member. California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC)

2014–Present: Advisor. UCSF Pregnancy Exposures to Environmental Chemicals Children's Center

2013–Present: Board of Directors. Latino Coalition for a Healthy California (LCHC)

2013–Present: Board of Directors. Médica Sur Hospital, Mexico

2013-2014: Latino Health Advisory Committee. Kaiser Permanente

2012-2014: Leadership Team Member. PHI-California Health Workforce Alliance (CHWA)

2012-2014: Advisory Board Member. CDC-National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP)

2012-2013: Advisory Board. "Transculturation and Latina Breast Cancer Risk-Research" Marin County

2011: Advisory Board. Alameda County Community Network to Reduce Cancer Disparities.

2011: Steering Committee. NIOSH-UCD Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety

2011: Advisory Jury Committee. Carlos Slim Award for Research Trajectory

2007–Present: Board of Directors. National Council of Mexican Federations in North America (COFEM)

2007-2014: Board Member. United HealthCare Children's Foundation, Western Region

2007-2013: Board of Directors. UCOP "Casa de la Universidad de California in Mexico A.C."

2006-2010: Advisory Board. "La Cultura Cura Program". Radio Bilingue, Inc.

2005–Present: Advisory Board. Texas Center for Health Disparities, UT Health Science Center

2005: Binational Advisory Board. Paisano Foundation, Mexico

1995-1996: Advisory Board. Doctoral Program, The College of Michoacan, Mexico

1991-2000: Advisory Board. Research Commission of NIPH, Mexico

Public Service Assignments and Honorable Memberships[]

2018-Present: Stakeholder Leader. California Future Health Workforce Commission. Oakland, CA

2016–Present: Strategic Planning Coordinator. Western Center for Agricultural Health & Safety, UCD

2013-2016: Co-Director. Center of Expertise on Migration and Health, UC Global Health Institute (COEMH-UCGHI)

2015: Advisory Board member. UC Davis, Center of Excellence for Refugee Health

2008-2012: Program Liaison. IME-Becas Fellowship Program. Institute of Mexicans Abroad (IME)

2008: Technical Consultant on Sexual and Reproductive Health and HIV Prevention for the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Orgnanization (PAHO/WHO)

2008: Steering Committee Member. Migrant Farm Workers Sampling Methodology Meeting. Sponsored by Tobacco Research Network on Disparities (TReND) and ETR Associates

2006-2014: Member of the Hispanic/Latino workgroup of the National Diabetes Education Program

2006-2013: Policy Leadership Council Member. California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation

2005-2014: Selection Committee Judge. Binational Health Week Visual Image Competition

2005-2008: Co-President, Research Network on Migration and Health for the Americas, UC and NIPH of Mexico (REMIS, for its Spanish acronym)

2006: Consultant, Public Health Institute (PHI), California

2004: Invited Review. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion's Special Emphasis Panel for Reproductive Health Research. Health People 2010: Maternal, Infant, and Child Health.

2002: Planning Committee. "Expanding Access to Health Care for Immigrant Families in California" California Program on Access to Care (CPCA)

2002: Consultant. Communities 2000 Initiative. David and Lucile Packard Foundation

2001-2002: Member. Migration-Health Working Group. Presidential Office of Mexicans and Mexican-Americans Abroad, Mexico.

2001-2005: Technical Advisor. California Agricultural Workers Task Force on Health Issues. The California Endowment (TCE)

2001-2005: Advisory Group. California Boarder/Central Valley AIDS Initiative,UCOP

2001-2004: Advisor on Migrant Issues. Mexican Secretariat of Health

2000-2003: Member and Founder. SalvaSida: Latinos against AIDs. Alameda County, California

1998-2000: Member. National Association for Latino & Chicano Studies, Washington University

1997-2001: Advisor. National Latin Institute for Reproductive Health

1997: Member. American Association for the Advancement of Science

1994-1996: Technical Adivosr. Research Projects. CONACYT, Mexico.

1994: Program Advisor. Midwives Program. Sanitary Jurisdiction of Health for the States of Campeche, Hidalgo, Chiapas, and Jalisco. Ministry of Health, Mexico.

1994: Member of the Latin American Gender and Reproductive Health and Population Policy Network, Netherlands and Mexico

1993: Program Advisor. Health Impact Assessment Working Group, Indicators and Intervention Programs, United Nations International Children's Fund (UNICEF)-Harvard University

1992: Technical Advisor. National Institute of Psychiatry. Secretariat of Health, Mexico.

1992-2002: Member and founder. Consortium of Social Sciences and Health (COSSAH)-Harvard University

1991-1995: Faculty Advisory Council. Doctoral Programs. NIPH, Mexico

Publications[]

Articles in International Journals[]

2019: Nevarez C, Castañeda X, Reynoso J, Rodriguez M. "A Nation of Immigrants Needs Its Immigrant Workforce to Stay Healthy" American Journal Public Health 201825317 APHA editorial

2017: Mera J, Amutio A, Castañeda X, Felt E, Nicolae G. The Impact of Cultural Dissonance and Acculturation Orientations on Immigrant Students' academic performance. Universitas Psychologica. Vol. 16, no.5,2017. (ISSN 1657-9267)

2015: Achótegui J, Amutio A, Castañeda X, Martinez-Taboada C, Mera M. Migratory Mourning during Adolescence: Planning Processes of Acculturation and Self-esteem. Running Head: Migratory Mourning.

2013: Castañeda X, Leite P, Angoa M, Felt E, Schenker M, Ramirez T. Health Outcomes of Mexican Immigrant Women in the United States. Migration Information Source. Online Journal of the Migration Policy Institute

2012: Sanchez M, Hernández M, Hanson J, Vera A, Magis C, Ruiz J, Garza A, Castañeda X, Aoki B, Lemp G. The Effect of Migration on HIV High-Risk Behaviors among Mexican Migrants. J Acquire Immune Defic Syndr 2012: (61) 610–617

2012: Castañeda X, Castañeda N, Ruiz M. Mexican Immigrants in the US. Specific Groups and Addiction. In Actualidades en Adicciones, 2012: (5) 15-34

2012: Cassady D, Castañeda X, Ruiz M, Miller M, Andrews T, Osorio L. Pandemics and Vaccines: Perceptions, Reactions, and Lessons Learned from hard-to-reach Latinos and the H1N1 Campaign. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 2012: (23)1106–1122

2011: Parrini R, Castañeda X, Magis-Rodríguez C, Ruiz J, Lemp G. Identity, Desire and Truth: Construction of a Homoerotic Social Scene among Mexican Migrant Communities in the USA. Culture, Health and Sexuality, 2011:13 (4) 415-425

Book Chapters[]

2019: Osorio L, Davila H, Castañeda X', Binational Health Week: A Social Mobilization Program to Improve Latino Migrant Health. Accountability Across Borders: Migrant Rights in North America. Copyright 2019, by University of Texas Press (ISBN: 978-1-4773-1836-2)

2018: Castañeda X, Juan Pablo (Editor), National Council of University Students. Migration of Mexicans to the United States. Human Rights and Development. Volume 20 in the collection Mexico 2018-2024. (ISBN 978-607-711-474-1)

2014: Castañeda X, Rodriguez-Lainz A. Studying Migrant Populations, General Considerations and Approaches: Migration and Health, a Research Methods Handbook. University of California Press. (ISBN 978-0-520-27795-3)

2013: Castañeda X, Felt E, Martinez-Taboada C, Castañeda N, Ramirez T. Migratory Stress and Mental Health in Adolescent Young Adult Mexican Immigrants Living in the United States: Contextualizing Acculturation. In Immigrants: Acculturation, Socioeconomic Challenges and Cultural Psychology. Judy Ho (Ed), Nova Science Publishers. (ISBN 978-1-62808-617-1)

2013: Castañeda X, Zavella P. Las fronteras y los espacios del cuerpo: sexualidad, riesgo y vulnerabilidad en mujeres migrantes mexicanas en California. Ellas se van: Mujeres migrantes en Estados Unidos y España. México: Instituto de Investigaciones Sociales, UNAM Press. (ISBN 978-607-02-4355-4)

2011: Castañeda X, Ruiz M, Felt E, Schenker M. Health of Migrants: Working Towards a Better Future. In Global Health, Global Health Education, and Infectious Disease: The New Millennium, Part 1. Veljil A. Moellering R. (Eds.) Elsevier Press

2010: Castañeda X, Schenker M, Felt E. Binational Innovation in Latino Immigrant Health: the Health Initiative of the Americas. In Reflections about Mexican Migration and Public Policy. Leite P and Giorguli S. (Eds) CONAPO Press, 99-110

2004: Castañeda X, Zavella P. Migration and the body: Mexican women working in agriculture in California. In Compartiendo historias de fronters: cuerpos, generos, generaciones y salud (in Sharing stories of borders: bodies, genders, generations and health). Denman C, Monk J, Ojeda de la Peña N (Eds.), COLSON Editorial (ISBN 968-6755-49-7)

1995: Casteñeda X, Langer A, Garcia C. Meanings and Signifiers of Fertility: The Use of Qualitative Methodology in Public Health. In Qualitative Methods in Public Health Research. Public Health Perspectives No.20, Nigeda G. & Langer A. (Eds) NIPH

Books[]

2018-2020: Castañeda X, Bermúdes J, Reyes A, et al. Secretariat of the Interior of Mexico, National Population Council (CONAPO), HIA-UCB-SPH Migration and Health: Current challenges and opportunities (ISBN 978-607-427-314-4)

2017: Castañeda X, Bermúdez J, Reyes A, et al. CONAPO-HIA-UCB-SPH Migration and Health: Reflections and challenges about the health of migrants (ISBN 978-607-427-301-4)

2016: Castaneda X, Bermúdez J, Reyes A, Wallace S. Migration and Health Perspectives on the immigrant population. Mexican Secretariat of the Interior Press (ISBN 978-607-427-278-9)

2015: Bermúdez J, Reyes A, Schenker M, Castaneda X, Felt E, Wallace S. Migration and Health. Profile of Latin Americans in the United States. Mexican Secretariat of the Interior Press (ISBN 978-607-427-265-9)

2014: Schenker M, Castaneda X, Rodriguez A. (Editors) Migration and Health Research Methodologies: a handbook for the study of migrant populations in the 21st Century. UC Press (ISBN 978-0-520-27794-6)

2013: Leite P, Castañeda X, Ramirez T, Wallace S. Migration and Health: Mexican Immigrants in the U.S. Mexican Secretariat of the Interior Press (ISBN 978-607-427-208-6)

2012: Castañeda X, Leiva M, Osorio L. English-Spanish Dictionary of Health Related Terms 4th Edition. HIA-SPH-UCB, COBBH, CDPH, BIDS, and Health Net. 2012, by the Regents of the University of California (ISBN 978-1-4675-0807-0)

2012: Ramirez T, Castañeda X, et al. Migration and Health: Young Mexican Immigrants in the US. CONAPO Press (ISBN 978-607-427-135-5)

2010: Castañeda X, Leite P, Wallace S, Schenker M, Et al. Migration and Health: Mexican Immigrant Women in the U.S. CONAPO Press (ISBN 970-628-959-3)

2006: Zuniga E, Castañeda X, Wallace S. Mexican and Central American Immigrants in the United States: Health Care Access. CONAPO Press (ISBN 970-721-331-0)

1989: Mellado V, Zolla C,Castañeda X. Health Care During Pregnancy and Birth in Rural Areas. Inter-American Social Security Studies Center Press, Mexico.

References[]

Health Initiative of the Americas. http://hia.berkeley.edu/index.php?page=xochitl-castaneda
School of Public Health, UC Berkeley. http://sph.berkeley.edu/xochitl-castaneda
The California Wellness Foundation http://www.calwellness.org/biographies/biography_board_castaneda.php