Dr. Lisa Hill Faculty Profile

Dr. Lisa Hill began teaching at California State University, East Bay in 2014 as a Lecturer in the Administration of Criminal Justice Department. She teaches various courses in the Department, including Community Corrections, Restorative Justice, Family Violence, Hate Crimes, and Police Ethics. Her research is focused on the underachievement of youth of color, which she posits results from a “relationship gap” in academic milieus. Through her research, she has discovered that when children feel connected to the school community, their academic outcomes improve. Dr. Hill’s research has also looked at the connection between specific parenting practices and sociological outcomes for children, and has concluded that empowering parents to intentionally raise their children from one developmental phase to the next may play a significant role in preventing children from entering the Social Services and Criminal Justice Systems as adults. 

Dr. Hill is a two-time CSUEB alumna, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration in 1984 and a Master of Arts in Educational Psychology in 1992. She went on to earn a PhD in Human Services from Capella University in 2013.

Dr. Hill served three decades in the criminal justice system working for county and federal probation departments. She concluded her career as the top executive manager over a residential therapeutic facility serving high-risk adolescent boys who had been found responsible for serious offenses. Inspired by the thousands of youth and families she served throughout the course of her career, Dr. Hill published her first book in 2018 entitled Keeping Kids in the Home and out of the System. The book provides an ecological view of the family system’s impact on childhood development and outcomes. Dr. Hill is passionate about preparing students to enter into the Criminal Justice Field prepared to work with offenders equitably, fairly, and justly. 

Dr. Hill is also a licensed marriage and family therapist and the founder of Metamorphosis, a consulting and counseling agency for adults, parents, and children. In addition, she writes a monthly column for The Tracy Press entitled Courageous Conversations in which she provides readers with resources for dealing with tough parenting issues. She is frequently called upon by news media outlets to offer her expert opinion on current events related to criminal justice and parenting, and has been featured on various local television an radio news stations.