Staff

Betty Connette was ordained as Pastor at Western Boulevard Presbyterian Church in February, 2005. She grew up in Wilmington, NC, the daughter of a Presbyterian minister. She received her Master of Religious Education from Union/PSCE and Master of Divinity from San Francisco Theological Seminary. Betty has served four other Presbyterian churches in the Raleigh area in various capacities: Christian education, youth ministry, mission development and pastoral ministry. She is married to Walt Clapp, a former member and elder of WBPC. Walt and Betty are blessed with a delightful daughter, Katherine Anh. email: betty@wbpresbyterian.org

Bruce T. Grady is a native of Wilmington, North Carolina.  He is married to the lovely Michele Moore and they have two children-  Isaiah and Alexa.  After serving as a pastor and professor in New York City for the past nine years, he has returned to the Tarheel State.  He serves as part-time Associate Minister at Western Boulevard Presbyterian Church. His ministry at WBPC  includes  leading the contemporary worship service (@ The Table),  and pastoral care.email: bruce@wbpresbyterian.org

Janet Cherry directs the adult vocal and handbell choirs, assists with the children’s choir, and plays organ and piano for worship services. A native North Carolinian, she is a graduate of Meredith College in Raleigh, NC, with Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees. She believes that a wide variety of music enriches worship, and draws on her experiences with churches of different denominations for inspiration. To that end she seeks to expand the musical expressions of WBPC — keeping favorite traditional music while encouraging more ways for participation, and incorporating more contemporary and world music styles. In addition to her work at WBPC, she teaches piano and organ students through her music studio and also as a part-time faculty member of Meredith College.  email: janet@wbpresbyterian.org

Van-Anthoney Hall, tenor, holds a Master of Music in voice/opera performance from Southern Methodist University as a Bruce Foote scholar and a Bachelor of Arts degree in vocal performance from North Carolina A&T State University. He holds a PhD in Education from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He has had the pleasure of working with Dallas Opera, Utah Festival Opera and Houston Ebony Opera companies and Virgina Tech Theatre. His vocal credits include opera/theatre performances in the Marriage of Figaro, Tosca, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Porgy and Bess, Black Nativity, The Consul and the Merry Widow. His concert credits include faculty and regional recitals of Spirituals and Art Songs. Currently, Van is an applied voice professor at North Carolina A&T State University   email:vananthoney.h@gmail.com

Bobbi Cross was born into the Western Boulevard Presbyterian Church family and is a graduate of Western Boulevard Kindergarten (as it was known then).  She attended Elon College and NCSU.  She has worked at the preschool for 24+ years.  Bobbi has experience in behavioral issues, the strong willed child and training in Second Step Violence and Anger Management program.  She has been the Director of the WBPP summer camp for the past 5 years.  She is married to Jerry and they have 2 daughters, Kaycee Rice and Krystee Cross.  email: wbppdirector@gmail.com

Amy Burki is involved in many areas of the life of Western Boulevard Presbyterian Church. She is the church receptionist, the gatekeeper for the calendar for the many activities of the church, the facility administrator, and the publisher of  information that is distributed to the congregation.  Amy is married and has three daughters.   email: Amy@wbpresbyterian.org

Anna Richardson Raab is a native of Greensboro, NC and is a recent graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  She is married to Jonathan, her high school sweetheart.  Throughout college Anna worked as a church intern, specializing in youth ministry, and realized her passion for working with young people in the church.  Anna serves as the Coordinator of Youth Fellowship and Social Media at WBPC.  email: annarich430@gmail.com