Dana Dillard, PhD

Dr. Dana Dillard is a Program Chair and Professor in the Global College of Professional Advancement at the University of Arizona Global Campus.

Dr. Dillard did not take a traditional path to academia. After two failed attempts at college, she finally found her “why” when she realized her son needed a stronger and better-informed advocate. Completed entirely in the online environment, she earned her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Psychology from the University of Phoenix and her Ph.D. in Psychology from Walden University.

In 2012, Dr. Dillard joined UAGC as associate faculty and discovered a passion for helping non-traditional adult learners. She later transitioned from associate faculty to core faculty, and now serves as Program Chair for the Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology programs. In addition to teaching, she serves as faculty advisor for the UAGC Psych Club and teaches introductory psychology courses for a dual-credit program through her local community college in northwest Illinois, providing rural high school students the opportunity to earn college credits that might otherwise be inaccessible.

Dr. Dillard’s research interests are diverse, encompassing topics such as psychoneuroimmunology, stress, mindfulness, nutrition, fertility, epigenetics, intergenerational transmission of health risk, and evidence-based practices—all rooted in health psychology, the intersection of behavior and well-being. Her 2019 dissertation focused on developing a predictive model of posttraumatic distress in emergency communications personnel. She is also a certified holistic stress management instructor, drum circle facilitator, and Reiki practitioner.

Before entering academia, Dr. Dillard worked as a police dispatcher, an experience that shaped her teaching philosophy—that students are the masters of their own lives, and their lived experiences bring insight and understanding into the classroom. She believes that, with support and nurturing, these experiences can fuel the change needed in the world.

In essence, Dr. Dillard believes that every classroom interaction is a chance to grow together.