Aylin Bell

Overview

Aylin Bell has worked in the field of K–12 education for over 20 years, leading strategic initiatives focused on increasing organizational impact and effectiveness. As Director for WestEd’s Charters and Choice team, Bell works to expand the impact of WestEd’s body of work focused on supporting high-quality school choice options (e.g., charters, magnets, innovation schools). 

At WestEd, she has led strategic planning and business development efforts across content teams; collaborated with service teams to launch and grow service lines focused on school improvement, literacy, and special education; and overseen the launch of WestEd’s first agencywide strategic vision, WestEd 2020. Bell also championed a collaborative, equitable, and inclusive organizational culture and played key roles in implementing a new organizational structure to support WestEd’s programmatic work and in developing WestEd’s equity framework.  

Among her past roles, Bell worked as Chief Operating Officer of a KIPP charter middle school in San Jose, where she was responsible for leading all aspects of the school’s finance and operations and supporting the launch of a new KIPP high school. Seeing firsthand the impact of an excellent school on students, families, and the community, Bell is committed to working to ensure all students and families have equitable access to innovative and high-quality schooling options that meet their unique needs. 

Education

• MBA, Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley 
• MA in international educational development, Teachers College, Columbia University 
• BA in psychology, Cornell University 

Select Publications

Valdez, A., Bell, A., Derby, K., Dolle, J., Fitzpatrick, R., Rovins, M., Walrond, N., & Willis, J. (2024). Systems change at WestEd: Six guiding principles. WestEd.