A dance-maker turned researcher, Bella is invested in embedding arts and culture into the choreography of public life as a means of social change. She applies an interdisciplinary approach to strategy development, quantitative and qualitative research design, and data analysis, all while integrating her own experiences as a dancer, choreographer, and creative collaborator and centering values of equity and inclusion.

At AEA, Bella has worked on a wide range of projects across the sector, including a disability action plan for the Museum of Modern Art; strategic planning processes for the J. Paul Getty Trust, Merce Cunningham Trust, and Brooklyn Academy of Music; a social impact study for Little Island; feasibility studies in Sullivan County, NY and Santa Maria, CA; and the development of business plans for the University of Arizona Museum of Art and San Diego Theatres.

Prior to joining AEA, Bella was selected as one of 12 Fellows at the Coro New York Leadership Center. The Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs is a prestigious graduate-level, experiential leadership program to complete projects in a variety of sectors and gain a mastery of cross-sector, adaptive leadership. Through the Fellowship, Bella led research for the Head of Diversity & Inclusion at Bloomberg LP, crafted the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation’s first ever Board Education and Engagement Program, and served as a gallery associate at High Line Nine Galleries in the Chelsea Arts District.

Bella holds a B.A. in Arabic and Dance, along with a minor in Global Studies, from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She speaks English and conversational Spanish and Arabic.