Where are you from originally and how long have you lived in Houston?
Whitney: I was born and raised in Houston. When I a graduated from high school at St. John’s, I moved
to Los Angeles to attend the University of Southern California. I stayed in LA for a few years
after college and then moved to NYC and DC. After 13 years away from Houston, I am so
thrilled to be HOME!
Child(ren) and Age(s)? We have one amazing son, Jack, who is 16 months.
One thing people would be surprised to know about you…
I’m not sure which is interesting so I will let you choose:
– I breast-fed for 13 months while working full time
– I teach indoor cycling in addition to my career at Hines
– My son was 12 days overdue
Favorite local things to do in Houston?
DEFINE: Bellaire is my favorite place to work out, of course. I also love strolling around West
University and enjoying all the awesome parks and playgrounds, enjoying crepes at Sweet
Paris, taking in a show at Stages Repertory Theatre, running around the Children’s Museum,
and eating Tex Mex! We have been enjoying our weekly lessons at Wolfie’s and will be starting
music class soon too. After being away from Houston for so long, we have a long list of new
places to explore!
Funniest shortcut/routine for helping you through parenthood?
There is no shame in my game when it comes to funny noises and faces to distract Jack when
he is either upset or trying to grab/pull/eat something he shouldn’t!
Are you involved in a business venture, a local organization, a creative endeavor, or in
the corporate world? Please share!
I started my career in television at Discovery Networks in Los Angeles and then NBC News in
New York. When Ryan and I moved from NYC to DC I transitioned into commercial real estate
and I have been with Hines for almost 5 years. I spent 4 years as the Director of Marketing of a
10-acre mixed-use development, CityCenterDC, where I created and managed the retail brand
as well as all public space programming such as art installations and open-air markets. This
entailed creating and executing advertising campaigns, conducting ad buys, building and
managing CityCenterDC.Com, all of the @CityCenterDC social media accounts, and more! I
have now transitioned into a Senior Manager role in our Corporate Communications department
at our global headquarters here in Houston where I basically serve as an internal consultant to our properties as well as work on marketing and PR for the Hines brand and managing our @Hines social media accounts.
In addition to my “day job” I also teach indoor cycling/rev at DEFINE: Bellaire on Monday,
Thursday and Sunday. In April of 2016, my mom, Debrah Hall, opened the studio in Bellaire at
6700 Ferris. She has always been an avid physical fitness fan and when this opportunity
presented itself, she couldn’t resist! The studio is in a really fun little pocket where a number of
new retailers are popping up. Nekter Juice Bar just opened next door and 401 Tap and Table
will be opening just a few doors down this spring. Wolfie’s Swim School opened a fabulous new
location across the street and a brand new HEB is just a block away.
I absolutely love being able to work with my mom and help with this venture. I have always wanted to be a fitness
instructor, but I was always nervous about trying it out. It has been challenging, but so much
fun. I love putting together high energy playlists and making sure everyone in the room pushes
themselves to get a great workout. In addition to indoor cycling, DEFINE: Bellaire also offers
mat pilates/barre, yoga, ball rolling, hammock, mini tramp classes and more! If any readers are
interested in trying a class, feel free to contact me directly! Also, DEFINE: Bellaire is kid and breastfeeding friendly! It has a room with tinted windows for privacy that we would gladly let nursing moms use and kiddos can play or watch a movie while mom works out!
Outside of work and being with my precious Jack, I am also involved in the JDRF Gulf Coast
chapter, Stages Repertory Theatre, and St. John’s School.
How has this community been instrumental in getting you to where you are now?
After Jack was born, we knew we had to get back home to Houston. Without the support of our
friends and family in this town, I’m not sure how we would get by day to day. One huge example
of this is when we first arrived in Houston, we immediately started the ever-challenging task of
finding child care for Jack. After telling a few friends, they put the word out and we had a
fabulous, highly recommended candidate within days. We were lucky enough to interview just
one nanny who is with us today and who we absolutely adore. It truly takes a village!
