Dr. Debra Murphy

Dr. Debra L. Murphy, Ph.D., M.P.H., Professor of Psychology and Coordinator of the Psychology Program
Dr. Debra L. Murphy is a Professor of Psychology and the founding Coordinator of the Psychology Program at Huston-Tillotson University (HT), which she established in 1997. Her efforts led to the creation of HT’s first Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology, marking a historic milestone for the institution. In 2024, the Psychology Program was nationally recognized by Research.com as one of the top undergraduate psychology programs in the country. It remains one of the university’s most popular and impactful majors.

Dr. Murphy holds a B.S. in Psychology from the University of New Mexico, an M.S. and Ph.D. in Psychology from Texas Christian University (TCU), and a postdoctoral Master’s in Public Health (M.P.H.) from Columbia University’s School of Public Health. Her dual expertise in psychology and public health shaped a distinguished career centered on addressing racial disparities in health and mental health.

Dr. Murphy’s career path was catalyzed during the peak of the AIDS epidemic by her work in New York City—then the epicenter of the HIV/AIDS crisis—where she combined academic research, public health, and community engagement in the fight against HIV/AIDS and to tackle issues of health equity. She held roles at prestigious institutions such as Columbia University, the New York State Division of Substance Abuse Services, Narcotics and Drug Research, Inc., and the American Health Foundation. Her leadership as Principal Investigator, research scientist, program evaluator, and program director has resulted in millions of dollars in funding for evidence-based research, prevention, education, and treatment initiatives, addressing HIV, substance abuse, tobacco use, cancer, diabetes, violence, obesity, stress and health/mental health challenges in underserved communities, particularly in Harlem and throughout New York City and New York State. Notably, she conducted Manhattan’s first HIV/AIDS needs assessment in the early 1980’s.

After relocating to Austin, Dr. Murphy continued her advocacy in public health, including behavioral and mental health at HT. She secured and led numerous federally and locally funded initiatives, including serving as PI for the EPICC Project, an evidence-based SAMHSA grant that, at the time, represented the largest funded competitive grant in HT’s history. It was also the subject of “FOCUS! A Video Production for the Travis County Attorney’s Underage Drinking Prevention Program” (https://youtu.be/ZQkwRa_3Fko)

Her leadership also extended to other major grants from DHHS, NIH, OMH, CSAT, OWH, FC2, TST, and Austin Public Health/CPPW. Her work helped establish HT as the first tobacco-free university in Central Texas.

Campus-community collaboration has remained a guiding principle in Dr. Murphy’s work, creating robust opportunities for students to gain real-world experience through employment, internships, and community-based research. Her projects brought national visibility to HT through events such as the First Racial Disparities in Health Conference (in collaboration with Austin Public Health), Coach Powell’s “Hip Hop Hypocrisy: When Lies Sound Like the Truth” Forum, Dream Girl Sheryl Lee Ralph’s one-woman play on HIV/AIDS, and participation in the Harlem Week of Prayer and other national HIV/AIDS observances. These efforts helped to position HT to become the home of the Health and Wellness Center, where Dr. Murphy served on the Guiding Board.

She also initiated the annual HT Citywide Town Hall Task Force on Race Relations, founded the university’s Psi Chi International Honor Society chapter, and since its inauguration, she has coordinated the Joseph Jones Annual Undergraduate Research Day, which recently celebrated its 20th year. She also helped organize Social Justice Forums such as After the March and Is it Black or Is it Blue.  Also, she served on the City of Austin’s COVID Task Force and the City of Austin’s Cultural Heritage Equity-Based Preservation Plan.

Dr. Murphy’s accolades include the Texas Teen Tobacco Summit Award, proclamations from the Texas Senate and House of Representatives, the Mayor’s Health & Fitness Silver Award, the DHHS Award for the Fight Against AIDS, and recognition for service on the Mayor’s Mental Health Task Force Monitoring Committee. She also received the Senator Garnet F. Coleman Eternal Flame Award for her foundational work with Integral Care and other stakeholders in developing the Central Texas African American Family Support Conference (CTAAFSC), now in its 25th year and the longest running of its kind worldwide.

Dr. Murphy has presented her work across the United States, Canada, Amsterdam, Spain, and Italy. Her publications appear in venues including John Wiley & Sons, SAGE Publications, Salem Press, Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Journal of the National Medical Association (JNMA), Advances in Alcohol and Substance Abuse (AASA), and the National Institute on Drug Abuse Research Monograph.  And dissemination of grant findings at local, regional, and national conference venues has greatly enhanced HT’s national profile.  The Master of Science Degree Program in Forensic Psychology, which she developed collaboratively with the Criminal Justice Program, is pending implementation and will prove to be another feather in HT’s cap.

About the Psychology Program at Huston-Tillotson University
The Psychology Program at HT aims to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of psychological science and its applications, preparing them for success in the workforce or graduate study. The curriculum offers a strong foundational knowledge with a multicultural perspective, supporting a wide range of career paths in counseling, clinical psychology, social work, program evaluation, criminal and juvenile justice, forensic psychology, business, health education, law, medicine, public health, teacher education, media, and more.

Central to the program’s mission is the development of leadership, citizenship, and community service. Students are encouraged to engage in applied learning through internships, community service, peer education, and technology-based solutions aimed at addressing social, educational, mental, and health disparities.

Classes are small, diverse, and student-centered, offering one-on-one mentoring and hands-on field experience. The Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology at HT helps students prepare for graduate studies by facilitating research opportunities and conference presentations. The program supports students in their pursuit of graduate school placements and in securing viable employment.  A recently established minor in forensic psychology is one of the most popular minors at HT and offers education about the psychology and law nexus and its potential as a career path.

Graduates emerge with the knowledge and confidence to apply psychological principles to personal development, professional pursuits, and broader social issues—ready to be agents of change in a complex, pluralistic society.