I Am Wilshire – Bill Hall.
Hometown: Born in Gainesville, Florida; Elementary school in Asheville, North Carolina; High school in a Chicago suburb
Education: University of Florida (BA), University of North Carolina (MBA)
Profession: Affordable Housing
Present city: Dallas
Tell us about your family. Married Kelli Culpepper in May 2003. Our daughters Grace, 17, and Natali, 14, attend Woodrow Wilson High School.
Tell us about your work. I worked with Habitat for Humanity for 10 years and now Catholic Housing Initiative. The goal is to be part of creating 3,000 affordable homes by the time I am finished.
What are your favorite hobbies? Depends on the day. I become interested in a new thing every few months. Building furniture, building a computer and batteries are the latest.
Where is your favorite place to travel? We found an island called Elbow Cay while sailing around the Bahamas in the early 2000s. Since then two friends have gotten married there. We’ve gone back for vacation a few times.
What brought you to Wilshire and when? After battling cancer for a few years, my mom came to visit our new baby, Grace. While holding her, she looked up at me and asked me to raise Grace in church. She returned home and passed away a few weeks later. We found Wilshire shortly after her passing.
Where are you engaged at Wilshire? Journey Class, taught 3-year-olds and served on the Children’s Education Committee.
What has surprised you most about Wilshire? We enjoy the way George preaches, the progressive view of religion and the people.
What do you think God is up to in your life right now? Maintaining patience with our children and the general hope for the future.
Tell us about your faith journey. Attended a Methodist church in Asheville and could not find a church home in Chicago. My faith provided hope for the future, reduced day-to-day anxiety and showed a need to serve others in a way that matched my abilities.
What’s something interesting most people wouldn’t know about you? Sailed around the world for four to six years, spending time meeting people and engaging other cultures.
What adjectives describe you? Asked my wife: honest, friendly, willing to try new things, tells good dad jokes.