Nilla Hamilton received her Bachelor's of Arts degree from San Diego State University in 1965. Before retiring in January 2005 from San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency, she worked in the field of social work for 34 years and has experience as a social worker, supervisor, trainer and manager.

Nilla worked in both San Diego and El Dorado counties. While in El Dorado County, she developed a foster home and day care recruitment project. In San Diego County, she worked in the Court Intervention, Emergency Response and Family Reunification and Family Maintenance Programs, Residential Services, the Child Abuse Hotline, Foster Home Licensing, as well as being a foster home recruiter. She was supervisor at Hillcrest Receiving Home, at the Polinsky Children's Center and in the Indian Specialty Unit, and ended her career with HHSA as a manager at the Polinsky Children's Center.

Nilla has been a member of the San Diego Child Abuse Coordinating Council and the National Indian Child Welfare Association. She has presented at the National and State Indian Child Welfare Conferences.