Entrepreneur and Health Advocate Brooks Bell Joins CDC Foundation Board of Directors

Brooks Bell, founder and executive chairman of Brooks Bell, Inc., has been elected to a five-year term on the board of directors of the CDC Foundation. In this role, Bell will join other board members to provide guidance and oversight to the CDC Foundation, which is the independent nonprofit created by Congress to mobilize philanthropic and private-sector resources to support the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) critical health protection work.

Brooks Bell, Inc., the company Bell founded, is a technology-enabled agency focused exclusively on solving complex business problems through experimentation for enterprise brands where Bell drives the vision and core values at the organization. She is a recognized thought leader in analytics and entrepreneurship, and she has been featured in publications including Inc. Magazine, Forbes, Washington Post and Techonomy.

In addition to her business role, Bell is dedicated to educating the public about young-onset colon cancer and elevating the conversation about colonoscopies. Bell was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer at the age of 38. Through her experience, Bell realized that colon cancer is more common and deadlier than many people realize but is rarely discussed due to stigma. So, she started an advocacy campaign, 50 Colonoscopies Under 50, which seeks to celebrate young people who publicly share their colonoscopy experiences, helping to destigmatize the screening process.

“Brooks’ enthusiasm, passion and experience will be strong assets for our team at the CDC Foundation,” said Judy Monroe, MD, president and chief executive officer of the CDC Foundation. “I am pleased she will be part of our board where our mission is to help CDC save and improve lives on a population-wide basis, which fits in well with what Brooks does each day.”

As an entrepreneur and health advocate, Bell is active on several boards of directors including serving as a board member for the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, Raleigh Founded, and the Research Triangle Foundation. In addition, she is a member of the board of advisors for the Duke Raleigh Hospital. Previously, she served as the president of the Raleigh-Durham Entrepreneurs Organization chapter, as a board member of the Digital Analytics Association, Freedom United and the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce. A native of Alaska, Bell earned her B.A. from Duke University in 2001.