Bio

Dr. Linda J. Bell enters her second year as the Athletic Director at Dillard University, where she has prioritized academic success, with 125 athletes achieving a 3.0 GPA or higher and significantly improving the athletic facilities.  Under her leadership Dillard's athletics has captured four GCAC championships in two women's cross country, men's and women's track and field, and baseball. Additionally, Dr. Bell has expanded the department's media presence through social media and conference streaming partner HBCU+.

Prior to her appointment, Dr. Bell served at Fort Valley State University as the Director of Compliance and the Senior Woman Administrator. In her role, she was responsible for the compliance, internal operations, fundraising efforts, strategic planning, and oversight of women’s volleyball, women’s basketball, and softball. Bell also served as Fort Valley State’s Title IX Deputy Coordinator for athletics and a member of the University’s Quality Enhancement Plan steering committee. Fort Valley State is an NCAA Division II Institution in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) with 12 sports.

Prior to Fort Valley State, Bell served as assistant athletic director for compliance services and business operations at the University of the Southwest in Hobbs, New Mexico. Her journey has also included the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, where she was Associate Athletic Director and the Senior Women’s Administrator. Before arriving in Wisconsin, Bell advanced at Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina. There, she began as the Head Volleyball Coach and advanced to the Assistant Athletic Director for compliance.

Bell’s career began at NCAA Division III Emory & Henry College in Emory, Virginia, where she served as Head Women’s Volleyball Coach. Bell’s team won the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) volleyball championship, earning them a trip to the NCAA Division II Women’s Volleyball Tournament. She earned the CIAA’s women’s volleyball Coach of the Year honors in 2008 and 2009. Before Elizabeth City State, Bell served as senior women’s administrator and Head Volleyball and Softball Coach at Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina.

Bell served on the NCAA Division II Championship Committee and NCAA Division III Super Region II Football Regional Advisory Committee. She also served as the Senior Woman’s Administrator chairperson for the SIAC and as co-chair of the SIAC Volleyball and Tennis committees. Bell has also served as Chair of the NCAA Division II Volleyball Atlantic Regional Ranking and the NCAA Division II Softball Atlantic Regional Ranking committees. Bell has also been a member of the NCAA Division II Volleyball Championship Committee, the NCAA Division II Softball Championship Committee, the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Head Coaches Committee, and the AVCA Atlantic Regional Awards Committee. She has served as President of the CIAA Volleyball Coaches Association.

Bell attended Saint Paul’s College in Lawrenceville, Virginia, where she competed in Women’s Volleyball, Women’s Basketball, and Softball. She served as team captain in all three sports while securing All-CIAA accolades in all three sports. In her senior year, Bell became the second-leading scorer in CIAA basketball while leading the nation in stolen bases in softball. Bell finished her collegiate volleyball career with over 100 service aces.

Dr. Bell earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Saint Paul’s, and Bell earned her MBA from the University of Phoenix and her Doctor of Business Administration in Innovation and Strategy from the University of the Southwest. Bell is also a distinguished member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. Dr. Bell is also the proud mother of daughters Nia and Lani.