Samantha Rae

Samantha Rae (she/ella) is a MSW scholar in the UCLA Luskin department of Public Affairs with a background in psychology, public health, medicine, and research. She has a passion for working with individuals who have experienced trauma, challenges navigating their mental health, and neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disabilities. She has notably worked with patients who have autism, schizophrenia, dementia, mood disorders, and PTSD at Los Angeles and San Diego-based community mental health, school, and assisted living settings, as well as through research at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in the division of pediatrics. Currently, she is a Shapiro Fellow at the Orthopaedic Institute for Children and UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center where she provides socioemotional support, brief psychotherapy, and resources to a diverse set of patients, such as those with cerebral palsy and neurodevelopmental disabilities. Her aim is to promote social justice and well-being for persons with disabilities by bridging gaps to services and encouraging a strengths-based approach to patient care.