My Story

My Passion for Inspiring Others

His personal mantra…” Focus on your VISION… Not your Sight” says it all. At the age of eight years old Dr. Bell was diagnosed with juvenile macular degeneration, which ultimately led to center eyesight blindness. During the late 1950’s, particularly for African-Americans this diagnosis was “limiting” at best. For young Greg, this was but a momentary distraction that only limited his eyesight, it did not limit his vision, it actually sharpened his focus.

Immediately after his diagnosis, both of his parents (both who still share their wisdom with him today) shared words with him that would leave an indelible mark on Greg. The conversation that he carries with him today was... "Greg, we have some good news and some bad news to share with you. Which one do you want to hear first? Greg - "I want to hear the good news first" Mom and Dad - "Ok, what we're going to do is, we are going to leave here and go home so that you can get a bite to eat, do your homework, and then you can go to basketball practice. Greg - "So, what's the bad news? Mom & Dad "So, the bad news is that because of your diagnosis, you have been labeled legally blind" and you will never be able to get a driver's license to drive a car. "You WILL be able to continue to drive to the hoop in basketball and be the best that you can be without having to drive a car at all."

Greg, a native Washingtonian gifted with (ICED) an Inoperable Center Eyesight Disease, at the age of 8, an Honor Roll Student/Scholar Athlete from Elementary through College. Greg Bell, a student at The Ohio State University, who because of his sight limitations, had to hand write his PhD dissertation on unlined paper, because "I could not use a typewriter or computer”.

One of the many gifts that Dr. Bells' legal blindness has given him led to the creation of his "3 Gifts”

Greg's Personal Acronyms in Action (GPA) - (ie. FOCUS, FUR, YES)
Dr. 100 Percent Wise Words - (ie. PURSUE, EXCELLENT, ATTITUDE)
Dr. Bell's WH-Questions - (ie. WHO, WHAT, WHY, WHERE, WHEN, & HOW)

Dr. Bell is a highly sought after national and international speaker, entrepreneur, educational administrator, mentor, scholar athlete, son, brother, father, uncle, grandfather and loyal friend.

As listed above, Dr. Bell is many things, a respected educator and speaker, a loyal friend, and a proud member of the prestigious fraternity Phi Beta Sigma. But without question, his proudest accomplishment is his enduring relationship and bond that he shares with his family.

In spite of his childhood eyesight limitations, Greg successfully completed his PhD degree at the age of 27 from The Ohio State University. From there, Dr. Bell has gone on to be one of the most respected educators in the country today.

After college, now Dr. Greg Bell began his career as a higher education administrator in the School of Education at both the undergraduate and graduate level at Indiana University Purdue University at Fort Wayne (IPFW was a cooperatively managed regional campus of two state university systems: Indiana University and Purdue University) and Nova University in Florida.

After 7 years of service the IPFW, Dr. Bell answered the call to return home to the Washington DC metro area, where, for the past 27 years and counting, he has served as a central office administrator in the Montgomery County Public School (Maryland) District. MCPSD is one of the leading academic achieving school districts in the country. With a student population of 159,000+, made up of students speaking well over 143 different languages, representing 39+ different ethnicities, all within the diverse community that is the MCPSD.

Dr. Bell has spent his career serving as a mentor and leader within the education community for the past 40+ years. Outside of the classroom, Dr. Bell focuses his time, energy, and expertise in communities around the country, sharing his passion for youth empowerment with school districts, colleges and universities as an educational consultant and motivational speaker.

A lifelong advocate for Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity, companies from around the world have benefited from Dr. Bells' uniquely personal perspective, as a physically challenged, Black man who grew up during the turbulent Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's and 70's to become a highly respected educator.

Balancing his devotion to his students at the MCPSD, and the demand for his time as a speaker, Dr. 100 Percent has spoken on the importance of diversity, inclusion and equity, and empowerment of persons with disabilities at some of the most globally recognized companies from around the world including NASA, Lockheed Martin, Verizon, AT&T and Xerox.

In the field of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity (DIE), Dr. Bell is uniquely qualified as an authority, as he speaks from 1st hand experience, as a legally blind Black man who grew up in during "The Second Revolution” of the Civil Rights Movement from 1965-1980. The Second Revolution revolved around the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, where the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights struggled with an agenda rapidly expanding in scope, complexity, and controversy.

As a lifelong “boots on the ground, in the trenches” advocate for “Not wanting More than, just the Same as” approach, when it comes to diversity, inclusion and equity. Finally, as a scholar who speaks from an understanding the effects that institutional racism has on both victims or victimizer Dr. Bell stands alone.

Dr. Bell has shared his practical and easy to grasp strategies of "Focusing your Vision” to hundreds of thousands of people from around the world, which has led to academic, athletic and organizational successes for those who have experienced his message and put those learned skills to practical use in their daily lives.

The strategy for his presentations have been drawn from the challenging experiences of his youth and the many life lessons that he has lived, not just read about. This perspective has led him to the development of highly relevant and relatable initiatives and programs that have offered insight into and have led to marked changes in the people who have experienced his presentations. Not only in how they view ALL people as a whole, but a seed change in how they deal with diversity, and inclusion, in life as well in the workplace.

Dr. Bells' reputation as an energetic, dynamic and empowering speaking style is as well earned as it is well received.