Bill Hill

Meet Bill Hill

Bill is a Dena’ina Athabascan from Naknek, Alaska. Bill grew up in the small village of Kokhanok on Illiamna Lake, where he spent his childhood fishing, hunting, and helping his family raise sled dogs. He first got out on the family’s drift boat at age 12, and he’s fished every commercial fishing season since. Bill’s worked as a union member in construction and education. Bill spent over 25 years as a teacher, principal, and superintendent. He was named Superintendent of the Year in 2023.

Bill Hill's Story

Bill Hill is Dena’ina Athabascan and a lifelong Alaskan.

Bill grew up in a small village in Bristol Bay, Alaska – the home of the largest salmon run in the world. His childhood was spent subsistence fishing and hunting, trapping, and raising and racing sled dog teams with his family. Hard work was built into everyday life – whether packing water, chopping wood, or helping fill the freezer for winter.

Bill has been a commercial fisherman for as long as he could work

He started setnetting as a young kid, before joining his dad on the family drift boat when he was 12. He’s fished every fishing season in Bristol Bay since.

Bill’s also worked union construction jobs in rural Alaska, from building houses, working on remote health clinics and canneries, and on a crew that installed the sewer system in the Bristol Bay Borough.

A son of two teachers, Bill spent nearly 25 years working as a teacher, a principal, and a superintendent. In 2023 he was named Alaska Superintendent of the Year.

To keep more resources from the fishing industry in his town, Bill and his wife started Bristol Bay Brailer, a textile manufacturing business that supplies custom-made brailers for the commercial fishing fleet.

Bill is a husband, dad of four, and Chada (grandpa) to 7. Bill and his family have lived in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau.

Now he and his wife Diane are back in Naknek, population 470.