Shelly Bell

Shelly Bell is a dedicated educator and administrator with deep experience in K–12 and postsecondary education. Her passion for empowering students and expanding workforce and college readiness opportunities has shaped a career defined by innovation, collaboration, and results-driven leadership. She was appointed Vice President for Workforce Development at Tallahassee State College in 2023.

Bell previously served as director of Lively Technical College, overseeing both postsecondary and secondary career technical education programs for Leon County Schools. Under her leadership, Lively experienced significant growth in enrollment and program participation. From 2017 to 2023, enrollment rose by 33 percent, and the number of students enrolled in career dual enrollment tripled. She also spearheaded the launch of the Success for Occupational Area Readiness (SOAR) Program in 2021, an inclusive postsecondary initiative designed to serve individuals with intellectual disabilities. In collaboration with the Florida Department of Transportation, she led the creation of the Lively Paratransit Instructional Program (LPIP), a first-of-its-kind training initiative for paratransit technicians across the state.

Before her tenure at Lively, Bell served as principal of Amos P. Godby High School, where she led the development of new workforce education pathways, including programs in engineering, aviation, and certified nursing assistance. She also partnered with other local high schools to expand access to career-focused learning, supporting the launch of welding at Rickards High School, automotive at Lincoln High School, and nursing programs at Chiles, Rickards, and SAIL High Schools. Bell built strong relationships with industry partners to align programs with regional workforce needs and help develop a pipeline of skilled talent.

She began her career as a classroom teacher at Belle Vue Middle School and later served in school leadership roles, including assistant principal at Wesson Elementary and principal at the Academy of Academics and Technology and Cobb Middle School.

Bell holds both a bachelor’s degree in English education and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Florida State University. She and her husband, Ricky, are the proud parents of two sons, Parker and Taylor.