hill was born in 1951 and was raised in the roman catholic faith in shreveport, louisiana. as a young adult, she lived in crystal springs, mississippi, and became involved in the united methodist church. hill attended mississippi state university where she earned a bachelor's degree in science. hill went on to gain a master's degree in religious studies and a master of divinity degree from united theological seminary of the twin cities and studied at luther seminary in st. paul, minnesota.