The Rev. Derrick Hill Joins Camp McDowell as CEO and Executive Director 

We are thrilled to announce the appointment of The Rev. Derrick C. Hill as Camp McDowell’s new CEO and Executive Director. In this role, he will lead the staff, nurture relationships with the parishes of the Diocese, and steward Camp’s programs and ministries. Working closely with the Bishop, the Department of Camp McDowell, and the many people who have known God’s presence at the Camp, he will also develop a vision for the Camp in the years to come. 

Rev. Hill brings a wealth of experience in pastoral care, outreach, strategic planning, and adult formation, particularly through Christian education, parish leadership, diocesan involvement, and Cursillo. 

Since 2015, Rev. Hill has served as the Rector of St. Timothy’s in Signal Mountain, Tennessee, following his role as Assistant to the Rector at St. Mary’s-on-the-Highlands in Birmingham. Before pursuing ordained ministry, Rev. Hill was deeply engaged in his parish’s leadership, teaching classes, mentoring an EFM group, and serving as a member of the vestry and as a lay Eucharistic minister and visitor. 

Rev. Hill’s journey to ministry goes back to his early connection with Camp McDowell, which began during a vestry retreat with the Church of the Holy Cross. After that visit, he met his wife, Beverly, and their family became active members of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Cahaba Heights where he was later sponsored to seminary. 

Born in Trussville, Alabama, Rev. Hill holds a Master of Divinity from the School of Theology at the University of the South. He earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Auburn University and a master’s in public and private management from Birmingham-Southern College. Before entering the ministry, he worked as a civil engineer for 18 years. 

In response to his appointment, Rev. Hill said, “I am excited to accept Bishop Glenda Curry’s call to serve as the CEO and next Executive Director of Camp McDowell beginning January 2025. We’re coming home! As is the case with many families throughout the Episcopal Church, Camp McDowell has had a huge impact on our lives. With that being written, I realize the next CEO of the Camp will need to be innovative, willing to experiment, and not too connected with the way it has always been done. As CEO, I will lead with the ethos of the words of the Psalmist “hold on to what is good yet sing to the Lord a new song.” 

Please join us in welcoming Rev. Derrick C. Hill back to the Diocese of Alabama as he embarks on this exciting new chapter at Camp McDowell.