Hill College hires new dean of Health & Public Service

  Ashlee Ferguson
  Thursday, February 26, 2026 3:38 PM
  Academics

Hillsboro, TX

Hill College is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Joshua Tarbay as the new Dean of the Health & Public Service Pathway.

Dr. Tarbay brings more than 20 years of experience in community college education, ranging from teaching, academic administration, and workforce-aligned program development along with a strong background in civic leadership. He began his career as an educator in higher education at Tarrant County College (TCC) as a tenured professor of health and kinesiology. He then spent ten years as the department chair of the department of kinesiology at TCC’s Northwest Campus.

In 2022, he became the director of the District Weekend College & Accelerated Initiatives Program at TCC and served as the Dean of STEM from 2023–2025.

Dr. Tarbay holds an associate degree in health education from Fulton Montgomery Community College in Fonda, New York; a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology pedagogy from SUNY Cortland, in Cortland, New York; a master’s in adapted education from SUNY Cortland; and a doctorate in educational leadership & administration from the Walden University School of Education.

In 2013, he was elected to the Weatherford Independent School District (WISD) Board of Trustees, where he served as a member and then vice president from 2013–2019. He also served on Weatherford’s Economic Development Board (WEDB) as vice president from 2021–2023. He was president of Weatherford’s Planning & Zoning Board (WPZB) from 2020–2023 and is currently a general member of the board. He is also a longtime member of Weatherford’s Chamber of Commerce.

In addition to his educational and civic backgrounds, Joshua co-founded the Parker County Brewing Company in 2017, for which he won the Chamber of Commerce’s 2019 businessperson of the year award. He sold the brewery in 2020 and then went on to partner and help open three other breweries in Parker County, also winning the chamber of commerce entrepreneur of the year award in 2022. In 2023, he began consulting work for small business owners and those wanting to get a start in entrepreneurship.

“I am honored to join Hill College and excited to serve the students and communities it serves. What drew me here is the institution’s strong connection to the community, the rural small-town feel, and its commitment to workforce and public service programs. Hill College has a long history of meeting students where they are, and I look forward to building on that foundation while helping expand opportunities that support local industry, public service, and regional growth,” said Dr. Tarbay.

“I am so pleased that Dr. Tarbay has joined the Hill College family! As you can see, Joshua is an exemplar of dedication, passion, hard work, and above all else, the experience and results he brings from Tarrant County College in his past administrative roles. Dr. Tarbay will round out a talented team of deans,” said Vice President of Student Learning & Success and Chief Academic Officer Irene Benero.

For more information about the Health & Public Service Pathway, visit hillcollege.edu/hps.