Dr. Celeste Hill is chair and professor in the department of human development and family science at Samford. She serves as departmental advisor for underclassmen and as President of the Southeastern Council on Family Relations (SECFR). She currently teaches Professional Perspectives in Family Science and Human Sexuality. Her research interests include experiential education, community-based learning, adult development and aging, professional identity and development, and animal assisted services.

Prior to becoming full-time faculty, she became certified as an online instructor and as a national peer reviewer for Quality Matters. Outside of academia, Dr. Hill volunteers with animal-assisted service programs and serves as a foster parent for the Shelby Humane Society. Her holistic, service-oriented approach to education and community engagement reflects her lifelong commitment to strengthening families, fostering student development, and advancing the field of family science.

Degrees and Certifications

• PhD Educational Psychology, University of Alabama
• MS Human Development and Family Studies, University of Alabama
• MA Educational Psychology, University of Alabama
• BA Public Relations, University of Alabama
• Certified Family Life Educator

Expertise

• human growth and development
• professional identity and development
• animal assisted services
• experiential learning
• community-based learning

Awards and Honors

• George Macon Memorial Award for Teaching Excellence, Samford University, 2024-2025
• SOCON Faculty of the Year Award, Samford University, 2020-2021.
• Professor of the Game, Samford Athletics, Fall 2019.
• Teacher of the Year, Orlean Bullard Beeson School of Education, 2014-2015.

Publications

• Hill, C. (2024). Developing a professional identity within family science. Reflection appearing in Chapter 3. Gerhardt, Clara. Practicum, Ethics, Vocation, and the helping professions. San Diego, CA: Cognella Academic Publishing.
• Hill, C. (2024). Navigating career transitions: Embracing change, taking risks, and ignoring naysayers. Reflection appearing in Chapter 7. Gerhardt, Clara. Practicum, Ethics, Vocation, and the helping professions. San Diego, CA: Cognella Academic Publishing.
• Hill, C. (2023). CFLE Perspectives: Sexual health education in the United States. NCFR Network, Spring publication.
• Hill, C.H. (2022). Pathways to professionalism in family science. Kendall Hunt Publishing. ISBN: 978-1-7924-2925-5.
• Hill, C.H. (Fall, 2019). Book review: Global perspectives of family life education. NCFR Network.
• Hill, C.H. (2019). Guest Reflection: The dynamics of divorce and blended families. In: Gerhardt, Clara (2019). Families in motion: Family dynamics in diverse contexts. Sage Publications, Inc.
• Hill, C.H. & Marshall, N. (2017). Book review: The Career Coaching Handbook. NCFR Network.
• Davis, J. C., Hill, C.H., & Chandler, K. B. (2017). Family life education with diverse community partners. In T. Newman & A. Schmitt (Eds.), Field-based learning in family life education: Facilitating high-impact experiences in undergraduate family science programs (pp. 111-120). Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave MacMillan.
• Hill, C.H. (2016). Book review: Parent-child relations: An introduction to parenting (9^th). NCFR Network, 28 (2).
• Gerhardt (Ed.), C. & Hill, C. (2014). CFLE Perspectives: Early childhood: experiential learning. NCFR Report, 26 (2).

Presentations

• Gerhardt, C. & Hill, C. (2026, April). Real families, silencing voices: parental and sibling cutoffs, grudges, and feuds. Southeastern Council on Family Relations (SECFR), Orange Beach, AL.
• Gerhardt, C., Chandler, K. & Hill, C. (2026, April).Strengthening our writing voices despite the pressures of ‘Publish or Perish’. Southeastern Council on Family Relations (SECFR), Orange Beach AL.
• Wenth, K. & Hill, C. (2026, April). Developing an animal assisted services (AAS) concentration in HDFS: Opportunities, challenges, and collaboration. Southeastern Council on Family Relations (SECFR), Orange Beach, AL.
• Gerhardt, C., Birkenfeld, A., Cleveland, B., Hill, C. & Hoaglund, A. (2025). The courage to publish. Presentation at the Conference for Teaching and Learning, Samford University, Birmingham, AL.
• Wenth, K. & Hill, C. (2025, April). Bridging theory and practice: The impact of infant caregiving simulations in undergraduate courses. Southeastern Council on Family Relations (SECFR), Chattanooga, TN.
• Day, L. & Hill, C. (2024). Collaborative creation and enhancements of CSDS and HDFS assignments with a library liaison. Presentation at the Conference for Teaching and Learning, Samford University, Birmingham, AL.
• Hill, C. & Ford, C. (2024, April). Aging, support, and the built environment. Southeastern Council on Family Relations (SECFR), Orange Beach, AL.
• Sherman, H., Brooks, C., Zorotovich, J., Wenth, K., Stackhouse-Morson, B., & Hill, C. The Southeastern Council on Family Relations’ Social Media Push during and post the COVID-19 Pandemic. Presentation at the Affiliate Councils Workshop at the 2023 National Council on Family Relations Annual Conference.
• Zorotovich, J., Sherman, H., Brooks, C., Wenth, K., Stackhouse-Morson, B., & Hill, C. Engagement Dos and Don’ts: Innovative Strategies from the Southeastern Council on Family Relations. Presentation at the Affiliate Councils Workshop at the 2023 National Council on Family Relations Annual Conference.
• Hill, C. & Wenth, K., Gerhardt, C., Brown, C. (2023). Family systems as cultivators of communities of character. Presentation at the 4th Annual Higher Education Character Convening. Tuscaloosa, AL. September 25-27, 2023. (International Conference)
• Hill, C., Wenth, K., Chandler, K., & Gerhardt, C. (2023). Steppingstones or roadblocks: The transformative process of active and experiential learning. Presentation at the Conference for Teaching and Learning, Samford University, Birmingham, AL.
• Gerhardt, C. G., Hill, C. H., Chandler, K. B., & Davis, J. C. (2022). Infusing character education into family science teaching. Presentation at the 3rd Annual Higher Education Character Convening. Orange Beach, AL. May 12-13, 2022.
• Hill, C.H. & Ford, C. (2022, April). Why are they so stubborn?: Building student empathy through simulation. Paper presented at the Southern Gerontological Society Annual Conference, Panama City Beach, FL.
• Hill, C.H. (2020, October 19-21). How can we promote child development? Paper presented at the Early Intervention and Preschool Conference, Birmingham, AL.
• Hill, C.H., Gerhardt, C.E., Chandler, K.B. & Handley, D. (2019, April 12). Bridging the generation gap: When cyber seniors and millennials meet. Poster presented at the Southeastern Council on Family Relations (SECFR) 2019 Annual Conference, Bentonville, AR.
• Hill, C.H., Gerhardt, C.E., Chandler, K.B. & Handley, D. (2019, April 12). Cultivating competence: Peer-to-peer interviewing. Paper presented at the Southeastern Council on Family Relations (SECFR) 2019 Annual Conference, Bentonville, AR.
• Hill, C.H., Gerhardt, C.E., Chandler, K.B. & Handley, D. (2019, April 12). Policy perspectives: Non-profits and government impact on aging in place. Paper presented at the Southeastern Council on Family Relations (SECFR) 2019 Annual Conference, Bentonville, AR.
• Hill, C.H., Gerhardt, C.E., Chandler, K.B. & Handley, D. (2019, February 28). Aging in place. Paper presented at the Alabama Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (ALAFCS) 2019 Annual Meeting, Montgomery, AL.
• Hill, C.H., Gerhardt, C.E., Chandler, K.B. & Handley, D. (2019, February 28). Making connections: Seniors + students = computer literacy. Paper presented at the Alabama Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (ALAFCS) 2019 Annual Meeting, Montgomery, AL.
• Hill, C.H., Gerhardt, C.E., Chandler, K.B. & Handley, D. (2019, February 28). Peers as educational facilitators. Paper presented at the Alabama Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (ALAFCS) 2019 Annual Meeting, Montgomery, AL.
• Hill, C.H., Chandler, K.B., Davis, J.C., & Gerhardt, C.E. (2018, March 9). Building a professional identity: The Role of Conferences. Poster presented at the Southeastern Council on Family Relations (SECFR) 2018 Annual Conference, Baton Rouge, LA.
• Hill, C.H., Chandler, K.B., Davis, J.C., & Gerhardt, C.E. (2018, February 22). Student professional identity and conference attendance. Poster presented at the Alabama Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (ALAFCS) 2018 Annual Meeting, Jacksonville State University.
• Gerhardt, C.E., Hill, C.H. & Chandler, K.B. (2018, February 22). Collaborative learning: Challenges and conquests in group work. Poster presented at the Alabama Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (ALAFCS) 2018 Annual Meeting, Jacksonville State University.
• Peavy, M.A., Gerhardt, C.E., Hill, C.H., & Chandler, K.B., (2018, March 9). Through the eyes of a child: Resilience and children's literature. Paper presented at the Southeastern Council on Family Relations (SECFR) 2018 Annual Conference, Baton Rouge, LA.
• Gerhardt, C.E., Chandler, K.B., & Hill, C.H. (2018, March 9) Collaborative teamwork: For better or worse. Paper presented at the Southeastern Council on Family Relations (SECFR) 2018 Annual Conference, Baton Rouge, LA.
• Peavy, M.A., Gerhardt, C.E., Hill, C.H., & Chandler, K.B. (2018, February 22). Exploring resilience by authoring a children's book. Poster presented at the Alabama Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (ALAFCS) 2018 Annual Meeting, Jacksonville State University.
• Hill, C.H., Chandler, K.B., Davis, J.C., & Gerhardt, C.E. (2017, November 16). Student professional identity and conference attendance. Paper presented at the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) 79^th Annual Conference, Orlando, FL.
• Leath, L., Gerhardt, C.E., Chandler, K.B., & Hill, C.H. (2017, March 17). Beyond my wildest dreams: Community bread baking and international service learning. Poster presented at the Southeastern Council on Family Relations (SECFR) 2017 Annual Conference, Charlotte, NC.
• Leath, L., Gerhardt, C.E., Hill, C.H., & Chandler, K.B. (2017, February 23). Community bread baking as an agent of change: An international service-learning experience. Poster presented at the Alabama Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (ALAFCS) 2017 Annual Meeting, Tuscaloosa, AL.
• Chandler, K.B., Gerhardt, C.E., Hill, C.H., & Davis, J.C. (2017, February 23). Dual relationships of the working kind: The changing landscape of student life. Poster presented at the Alabama Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (ALAFCS) 2017 Annual Meeting, Tuscaloosa, AL.
• Roahrig, D., Bauer, E., Cole, O., Hansen, A., Holdo, D., Chandler, K.B., Hill, C.H. & Gerhardt, C.E. (2017, March 17). Every Child Deserves a Family Act: Family Impact Analysis. Poster presented at the Southeastern Council on Family Relations (SECFR) 2017 Annual Conference, Charlotte, NC.
• Bowles, H., Campbell, M.E., Durden, M., Junkins, M., Chandler, K.B., Hill, C.H., & Gerhardt, C.E. (2017, March 17). Family Impact Analysis: The Family Engagement Act of 2015. Poster presented at the Southeastern Council on Family Relations (SECFR) 2017 Annual Conference, Charlotte, NC.
• Chandler, K.B., Gerhardt, C.E., Hill, C.H., & Davis, J.C. (2017, March 17). The wild world of work: Juggling academic and employment demands. Poster presented at the Southeastern Council on Family Relations (SECFR) 2017 Annual Conference, Charlotte, NC.
• Chandler, K., Gerhardt, C.E., & Hill, C.H. (2016, March 10-12). Simulations of real-life scenarios: Enhancing understanding through role play. Paper presented at the Southeastern Council on Family Relations (SECFR) 2016 Annual Conference, Orlando, FL.
• Chandler, K., Gerhardt, C.E., & Hill, C.H. (2016, March 31-April 1). Imaginary situations: Enhancing understanding through simulations. Paper presented at the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) 2016 Annual Conference, Birmingham, AL.
• Chandler, K., Gerhardt, C.E., Hill, C.H., Wilkinson, E., & Marshall, N. (2016, March 31-April 1). Experiencing the possibilities: Teaching family policy as a field experience. Paper presented at the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) 2016 Annual Conference, Birmingham, AL.
• Hill, C.H., Gerhardt, C.E., & Chandler, K. (2016, March 10-12). Putting the fun back into the classroom: Strategies for the family sciences. Paper presented at the Southeastern Council on Family Relations (SECFR) 2016 Annual Conference, Orlando, FL.
• Hill, C.H., Gerhardt, C.E., & Chandler, K. (2016, March 31-April 1). Re-imagining the classroom: Strategies for the family science classroom. Paper presented at the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) 2016 Annual Conference, Birmingham, AL.
• Hill, C.H., Gerhardt, C.E., Chandler, K., Marshall, N., & Wilkinson, E. (2016, March 10-12). Feeling good while creating good: The far-reaching effects of service learning. Paper presented at the Southeastern Council on Family Relations (SECFR) 2016 Annual Conference, Orlando, FL.
• Hill, C.H., Gerhardt, C.E., Chandler, K., Marshall, N., & Wilkinson, E. (2016, March 31-April 1). The bi-directional influence of community service. Poster presented at the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) 2016 Annual Conference, Birmingham, AL.
• Hill, C.H., Gerhardt, C.E. & Poole, C. (2015, April). Student engagement and Practicum involvement in an online teaching environment, Poster presented at the Southeastern Council on Family Relations (SECFR) 2016 Annual Conference, Shreveport, Louisiana.
• Hill, C.H., Gerhardt, C.E., Tudor, C., & Roahrig, D. (2015, April). Professional development and student chapters of national organizations, Poster presented at the Southeastern Council on Family Relations (SECFR) 2016 Annual Conference, Shreveport, Louisiana.
• Gerhardt, C. & Hill, C. (2015, February). Serving communities through In-Service Learning with an online teaching component. Alabama Association for Family and Consumer Science 2015 Annual Conference, Birmingham, Alabama.
• Chandler, K., Gerhardt, C., Davis, J. & Hill, C. (2014). From classroom to conference: Promoting professionalism. National Council on Family Relations 2014 Annual Conference, Baltimore, Maryland.
• Gerhardt, C., Hill, C., & Graff, C. (2014, April). The graying population: Public policy challenges for retiring baby boomers. SECFR Conference 2014, Birmingham, Alabama.
• Gerhardt, C. & Hill, C. (2014, February). Where generations meet: Intergenerational learning opportunities. Alabama Association for Family and Consumer Science 2014 Annual Conference, Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
• Gerhardt, C., Hill, C. & Belflower, M. (2013). Between the Pages of a Book: Life Span Education and Family Relationships through Children's Literature. SECFR Conference 2013, Birmingham, Alabama.

Grants

• Hill, C. & Chandler, K. (2019). Alabama First Class Pre-K Program PPVT Evaluator Grant. Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education. 2019-2020 Academic Year.
• Hill, C. (2019). Innovate Grant. Samford University. Jan Term 2019.
• Chandler, K. & Hill, C. (2018). Alabama First Class Pre-K Program PPVT Evaluator Grant. Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education. 2018-2019 Academic Year.

Involvement

• Association for Animal Assisted Intervention Professionals
• National Council on Family Relations
• PATH International
• Policy Section: National Council on Family Relations
• Quality Matters
• Southeastern Council on Family Relations