About
D’Wayne Bell is a Senior Learning and Impact Officer. He leads research grantmaking and supports strategic learning for Ascendium’s Expand Opportunity strategy, which focuses on increasing the postsecondary education and workforce training options that lead to good jobs. He joined the organization in 2025.
Prior to joining Ascendium, he was a Statistician and Associate Research Scientist at College Board, where he conducted evaluations of education interventions and led research on college affordability and race-based differences in postsecondary students’ experiences. He also previously conducted research in support of institutional efforts to increase student success at his undergraduate alma mater, University of Texas at Austin.
D’Wayne earned a Ph.D. in education from Harvard University, a Master of Public Policy from the University of Michigan, and a Bachelor of Arts in sociology with special honors from the University of Texas at Austin.
