Her Story
About Mercedes
Mercedes Bell has dedicated 11 and a half years to the field of education in Cleveland, where she was born and raised. She supports the Deputy Chief of the Student Services Department and his executive team by managing calendars, processing orders and contracts, reviewing agreements, and assisting schools. Her academic background includes a bachelor's and master's in business administration and business management, and she is currently pursuing a doctorate in educational leadership and leadership studies at Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio. Bell has served as Education Director and board member of the Cleveland Professionals 2030 Club, participated in the Neighborhood Leadership Institute in Cleveland, completed an executive leadership program at Case Western Reserve, and acted as a committee member for the Greater Cleveland Food Bank. She also mentors youth through a foster organization. In her work, she values authenticity, ethical conduct, and following policies to navigate the bureaucratic challenges of public education funded by taxpayers.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Mercedes
01What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Working in public education involves bureaucracy where everything has to go through many channels to get work done quickly and efficiently, especially with public funding that requires tracking and scrutiny.
02What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Being my authentic self, coming to work as the person I am without pretending, presenting myself in an ethical way, and doing the job that needs to be done.
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