Dr. Taylor Hall

Growing up in a working-class family on the Rhode Island/Massachusetts border, Dr. Taylor Hall wasn’t always sure she would attend college. Though at times she debated joining ROTC, attending cosmetology school, or even running away with the circus, she did make the decision to apply to and attend Bridgewater State College as a first-generation college student. Here, she studied both sociology and social work and took part in undergraduate research through the Adrian Tinsley summer research grant program. It was here at Bridgewater State that Taylor realized what she wanted to do: work with individuals in communities to promote equity, dignity, and human relationships. After completing her bachelor’s degree, Dr. Hall worked in both clinical and research positions within the Veterans Administration and at Suffolk County House of Corrections. In these work environments, she could see the vast number of people experiencing co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders, and saw how our healthcare and social service systems can be dehumanizing and that they gatekeep people from accessing what they need to get well. Currently, Dr. Hall is working to incorporate a harm reduction lens into the work social workers engage in in the field. In her spare time, she likes to be outside in the sun with her family and two dogs and participating in her local bookclub. She also coaches weightlifting, with her favorite lift being a flat bench.