New Director to Lead School Choice Team at WestEd

June 25, 2024

Aylin Bell has been named the new director of WestEd’s School Choice team. Bell brings to the role two decades of experience in K-12 education. At WestEd, she has led strategic planning and business development efforts across teams and supported the launch and growth of services focused on school improvement, literacy, and special education.

Bell was instrumental in the launch of WestEd’s agency-wide strategic plan, WestEd 2020, which set a new benchmark for the organization’s future. Her commitment to fostering a collaborative, equitable, and inclusive culture is also evidenced by her role in the development of WestEd’s approach to systems change and the WestEd Equity Framework.

“Aylin’s background in strategic thinking and growth makes her uniquely positioned to lead WestEd’s school choice team. I’m confident that with her leadership, the team will take their research, evaluation, and program design efforts to new heights,” said Jannelle Kubinec, Chief Executive Officer of WestEd.

“In my new role as director of WestEd’s  school choice team, I am excited to expand educational opportunities for all students, ensuring that all students and families have equitable access to innovative and high-quality schooling options that meet their unique needs,” Bell said.

Early in her career, as the Chief Operating Officer of a KIPP charter middle school in San Jose, Bell led all facets of finance and operations, and played a crucial role in the launch of a new KIPP high school, solidifying her reputation as a leader who is both strategic and operationally savvy.

Bell holds a BA in Psychology from Cornell University, an MA in International Educational Development from Columbia University, Teachers College, and an MBA from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley.