Schmeidl received a diploma in social work and a M.A. and Ph.D. in sociology from Ohio State University. Before joining Swisspeace in 1998, she worked at the Centre for Refugee Studies (York University, Canada) as a postdoctoral researcher, coordinator of the Prevention/Early Warning Unit, coordinator of the interim secretariat of the Forum on Early Warning and Early Response, and as a consultant for the Food and Statistics Unit of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. In her capacity as senior research analyst for the early warning project FAST International (Early Recognition of Tension and Fact Finding), Schmeidl worked as the team-leader for South Asia (1999-2001), consultant and resource person for the Inter Governmental Agency for Development (IGAD) to assist in setting up conflict early warning and response mechanisms at the Horn of Africa.