New York, NY – Aug. 13, 2025 – The Doris Duke Foundation (DDF) today announced that Jodi Hill-Lilly will serve as the new director of the foundation’s Child Well-being Program. She previously served as Commissioner of the Department of Children and Families (DCF) for the State of Connecticut, and in this new role, will continue to drive forward the foundation’s work to build a prevention-oriented child welfare system.
“We could not be more fortunate to have Jodi Hill-Lilly leading our Child Well-Being program. Her passion and expertise in advancing programs and solutions that strengthen families and protect children align perfectly with our mission to build preventive systems that support communities before crises occur,” said Sam Gill, president and CEO of DDF. “Jodi’s track record in Connecticut demonstrates strong alignment with DDF’s priorities. As we work to address some of the most systemic challenges facing American families, I am confident that Jodi’s leadership will help drive lasting, systems-level change.”
A social worker by trade, Hill-Lilly has given more than 35 years of dedicated service to children and families, particularly those involved in the child welfare system both locally and nationally. In December 2023, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont nominated her as Commissioner of the Department of Children and Families (DCF) for the state. Prior to that, she worked in communities, directly with families as a caseload-carrying social worker for the state of Connecticut, providing direct care to some of the most vulnerable children and families - particularly those affected by the crack cocaine and AIDS epidemics. Hill-Lilly worked nationally to conduct Federal Child and Family Services Reviews, consult with both the National Child Welfare Workforce Institute and the Capacity Building Center for States in Washington, D.C., and lead supervisory trainings for other child welfare professionals across the country.
In her role as director of child well-being, Hill-Lilly will lead the program that aims to promote children’s healthy development and protect them from abuse and neglect. In addition to identifying new grantmaking opportunities, she will manage one of DDF’s signature grantmaking programs Opportunities for Prevention & Transformation, or “OPT-In for Families.” The initiative launched in four states in March 2024 and is actively underway toward its objective of helping build a prevention-oriented child well-being system that supports children and families within their communities. “I’ve long admired the Doris Duke Foundation’s commitment to policy change and research-driven prevention, including the thoughtful infrastructure they’ve built to support this work,” said Jodi Hill-Lilly. “This forward-thinking approach to child welfare—that pairs prevention with innovation—is both inspiring and necessary. While my time serving families locally in Connecticut has been deeply meaningful, I’m energized by the opportunity to bring that experience to a national stage through the foundation.”
As a national philanthropic organization, the Doris Duke Foundation works to build a more creative, equitable, and sustainable future. The Foundation works across three areas: Arts & Culture, Nature, and Health & Well-being.
Hill-Lilly is a graduate of Southern Connecticut State University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree and a master's degree.
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About Doris Duke Foundation
The mission of the Doris Duke Foundation is to build a more creative, equitable and sustainable future. We work across three areas: Arts & Culture; Nature; and Health & Well-being.