Cokethea Hill is an innovative collaborator with over 15 years of experience working in the non- profit sector organizing communities, building collaborative partnerships, and strengthening assets in low- income urban communities. Known for her strategic approach to assisting organizations with aligning their organizational mission with the needs of the people they serve, Cokethea has a keen ability for building relationships and mobilizing others towards an identified goal. A native of Kansas City, she earned her undergraduate degree from Central Missouri State University, a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology from Avila University and a Doctoral degree from the University of Kansas in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies.
Recognizing the correlation of where one lives to the opportunities or lack thereof to healthcare, quality education, and gainful employment, Cokethea's passion for education soon led to an increased focus on neighborhood and community conditions within the urban core. Cokethea's previous employment with Mid America Regional Council's Green Impact Zone, provided an avenue to leverage her community organizing, grant writing, and strategic planning skills to secure housing redevelopment projects, lead energy efficiency Smart Grid efforts, and public infrastructure improvements within 5 neighborhoods in the urban core of Kansas City.
A champion of diversity and inclusion, Cokethea worked as researcher with the University of Kansas on a federal grant from the Department of Education, Office of Special Education examining the impact of inclusive education (educating children with severe disabilities in a traditional classroom setting among non- disabled peers) within a traditional educational model. This research resulted in two published journal articles. A commitment to servant leadership, Cokethea has served on Kansas City's City Council, The Kansas City Public School Board, and ambassador for the Kauffman Center for Performing Arts.
Prior to starting her own consultancy firm, The StoneHill Firm, Cokethea managed a $1.3M funding portfolio with SchoolSmartKC, a funding collaborative working to improve access to quality schools in Kansas City. Cokethea currently works in partnership with the University of Kansas' SWIFT Educational Center, where she provides executive coaching to school leaders as they implement equitable Multi- Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) to improve educational outcomes for students.
Cokethea is the Board Chair for the Urban League of Greater Kansas City, Vice Chair of The City Planning Commission (KCMO), and serves on the board of the Urban Neighborhood Initiative (UNI), and Turn the Page Kansas City.