Syretta Hill will join Duke University as the senior director of economic inclusion. In this new role, Hill will help Duke leverage its role as Durham’s largest employer and purchaser of goods and services, to deepen its positive impact on Durham and the region. In 2023, 62% of Duke employees were Durham residents, and Duke spent $233 million with Durham-based businesses.
Hill brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to community engagement and economic empowerment. She has been the executive director of StepUp Durham since 2015, where she was instrumental in providing employment training, placement, and retention services and significantly impacted the lives of many individuals facing employment challenges, including those with criminal backgrounds. Syretta’s dedication to community listening and racial equity has been a cornerstone of her work at StepUp Durham.
Before her tenure at StepUp Durham, Hill spent eight years as a community organizer and neighborhood relations director for Habitat for Humanity of Wake County. Her parents’ careers in the criminal justice system shaped her background in community organizing and her passion for social justice.
Hill holds an M.A. in Education from Temple University and a B.A. in Communication from the University of South Florida.
