Diane Hill, Ph.D.

Assistant Chancellor, University-Community Partnerships

Dr. Diane Hill is the Assistant Chancellor for University-Community Partnerships at Rutgers University-Newark, with over 30 years of experience in leadership positions. For over fifteen years Dr. Hill has administered the Office of University-Community Partnerships (OUCP) that serves as the nexus that connects Rutgers University-Newark students, faculty and staff to expand, create and promote reciprocal and mutually beneficial partnerships that support and align with the university’s strategic engagement priorities. In this capacity, Dr. Hill spearheaded the development of a transdisciplinary community engagement and Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) model applicable on local, state, regional and national levels, especially with urban, underserved and minority populations. She also serves as a faculty member in the School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) and as a core faculty member with Rutgers Institute for Global Health. With a profound commitment to working with and improving urban communities, her scholarly work predominately focuses on building strong, healthy urban communities; developing models to advance community engagement in higher education with emphasis on urban university-community partnerships; advancing health care equity and social justice; and improving urban education engagement demonstration models. For over a decade she served as the Co-Director for African American Alzheimer’s Brain Health Initiative which promoted research, memory health and a better understanding of Alzheimer’s among minority and economically disadvantaged seniors.

In collaboration with Rutgers University-Newark SPAA, Dr. Hill established The Center for Health Equity and Community Engagement (CHECE). The mission of CHECE is to support public, nonprofit and private sector entities to engage effectively underrepresented urban constituencies in health research, scholarship, policy and decision-making, service delivery, and community engagement and assessment. Dr. Hill serves as one of the Principal Investigators for the New Jersey Healthcare Essential WoRker Outreach and Education Study Testing Overlooked Occupations (NJ HEROES TOO) study. NJ HEROES TOO focuses on the Black and LatinX communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19 in places where Rutgers academic medical centers are deeply rooted. The research study team partnered with community and health care organizations in Essex, Middlesex, Passaic and Union counties to co-design this study.

Dr. Hill has successfully brokered sustainable partnerships with a broad spectrum of representatives from state and local officials including Senior Advisor to the Governor for Faith, Diversity, Urban and Regional Growth; the New Jersey Department of Health, Office of Minority Health; and the New Jersey Department of Human Services. She works closely with elected appointed officials in Greater Newark: the mayors of Newark, Hillside, and East Orange, county and city aging services directors. She currently serves as Vice-Chairperson for the NJ Legislative Black Caucus Foundation and works closely with statewide legislators to support programs for urban populations. As Chairperson of University Hospital’s Community Oversight Board, Dr. Hill works in concert with local community representatives and healthcare professionals to improve healthcare outcomes.

The recipient of numerous honors and awards, Dr. Hill’s contributions are recognized nationally and internationally. Dr. Hill often receives invitations to professional forums as a speaker and presents at local, statewide and national conferences to share her expertise, experience and research.

staff

Diane Hill, Ph.D.

Assistant Chancellor, University-Community Partnerships

dianeh@newark.rutgers.edu