Disability rights leader Hill appointed senior vice president of Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University

Disability rights leader Hill appointed senior vice president of Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse UniversityJanuary 13, 2009Me’Shae Brooks-Rollingmrolling@law.syr.edu

Eve Hill, Esq., previously director of the District of Columbia’s Office of Disability Rights, has been named senior vice president of The Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at Syracuse University.

According to BBI Chairman Peter Blanck, the addition of Hill expands BBI’s ability to do groundbreaking legal research and policy development. “Eve Hill’s prior experience at the U.S. Department of Justice and as a cabinet member for Mayor Adrian Fenty enables her to provide unique insight and perspective as a senior member of BBI’s leadership team.”

Although BBI was established only three years ago as a multidisciplinary research and training center, its influence on the business community and government and nongovernmental organizations worldwide is helping transform civil society. BBI is dedicated to advancing the civic, economic and social participation of persons with disabilities in the United States and in developing countries around the world.

The institute is based at Syracuse University and has offices in the District of Columbia, New York City, Atlanta and Tel Aviv, Israel. The institute focuses on research, education, training, policy development, technical assistance and outreach regarding disability issues. BBI takes its name from Burton Blatt (1927-85), a pioneer in humanizing services for people with disabilities.

In her previous role, Hill was the director of the District of Columbia Office of Disability Rights, a cabinet position within the District of Columbia government that she held since November 2007. The office focuses on implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in District government.

Prior to joining the District, Hill was executive director of the Disability Rights Legal Center at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. The Disability Rights Legal Center works on disability rights enforcement, special education advocacy, assistance for people with cancer, and education about disability rights. Hill was also a visiting associate professor at Loyola Law School and an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California and Loyola Marymount University. Prior to joining the center, she was a supervisory attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice Disability Rights Section.

Hill is a co-author-with Peter Blanck, Michael Waterstone of Loyola Law School and Charles Siegal of Munger Tolles and Olson-of a casebook and a treatise on disability civil rights law and policy now being used in leading law schools across the United States. A graduate of Cornell Law School, Hill has been a disability rights attorney for 15 years.

“BBI is focused not only on creating new knowledge but on crafting innovative solutions to the challenges faced by people with disabilities every day,” Hill says. “We will continue to fight discrimination, but I am eager to work across disciplines of law, education, communications, economics and information studies to change public attitudes and reduce the stigma of disability.”

Hill started her new responsibilities with BBI on Jan. 5. She is located at the BBI offices in Washington, D.C.

For more information on BBI, visit http://bbi.syr.edu or contact Me’Shae Rolling, director of special events and public relations, at (315) 443-8455 or mrolling@law.syr.edu.