Dr. Ashton N. Bell

Ashton N. Bell is an academic, educator, minister, businessman, artist, and visionary.

Dr. Bell is the Chairman/CEO of The Next Generation Enhancement Programs, Inc., a non-profit organization that was established in order to bring arts education into areas where it is often cut from the public-school budget. He desires to provide the platform for students of all backgrounds to find their niche and thrive. Through this organization, Ashton hopes to not only service students in their pursuit of the arts, but to employ high school and college students through some of the programs offered, provide classes to the community such as cooking, table manners, computer literacy, and test prep.

As an artist, Ashton has been involved in theater for over 20 years. He has had extensive experience as a director, assistant director and stage manager. He has worked on recordings, plays, fashion shows, TV segments and community projects with Pastor Donnie McClurkin, Pastor David Wright, Perfecting Faith Church, the New York Call, Inc., Dr. Felicia El-Amin, and Andre Byrd. He is a Board member of Sister’s Circle Community Gospel Theater, Inc., serving as the current Vice-President, as well as the Artistic Director for Gospel on Stage, having been a part of the organization since 1996. He also served as the advisor to the Roosevelt High School Drama Club and the Assistant Director for the Roosevelt Performing Arts. During his tenure, he has worked on such productions as Fences, A. Ham in the Velt (A tribute to the works of Lin-Manuel Miranda), A Raisin in the Sun, and Once on this Island Jr. He has also pulled together the annual talent show as well as assisted with the Black History Month Program. What is interesting about his work as the Drama Club advisor is, he is directing plays on the same stage he was an actor on as a student, performing in Romeo and Juliet, A Christmas Carol, and A Bit of Broadway Comes to Roosevelt.

Currently, Dr. Bell is a tenured faculty member at Hempstead High School where he works with the Visual and Performing Arts Academy. During his time at Hempstead High School, Dr. Bell has been on the planning committee for the Black History Month program in 2020, he hosted Young Men’s Empowerment Day in 2022 and 2023, The Poetry Slam in 2022 and 2023. He was the Assistant Director for The Wiz in 2022 and Fences in 2023, and he worked with both the Spring Concert 2022, and the Winter Concert 2022, and he directed Once on This Island in 2023 as well as Lend Me a Tenor. Additionally, he is the advisor for the Hempstead High School Class of 2025.

In addition to his work in the theater, Ashton is also a writer, having completed 3 books, several plays and contributed to numerous articles, magazines, and anthologies including When You Break A Writer’s Heart and the SIU School of Medicine Literary Magazine, Scope. Additionally, Ashton is a talented painter, utilizing acrylic, oil, canvas and wood as his mediums. In 2021, he created Okan Awaron as an online presence and platform to showcase his work on Instagram, before the creation of the website. As an all-around artist, Ashton has also been gifted with an eye for photography and he has performed with numerous choirs as a tenor and bass over the years.

As if of this is not enough, Dr. Bell owns Bell's Bites, which promotes his culinary skills, as well as High Needs Academic Services, which is an education consultation company, that provides tutoring, advice, and prepares parents and family members to advocate for their children.

Ashton works as a high school special education teacher, specializing in English. He also worked in an alternative learning setting for students who are not successful in a traditional school setting. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Special Education from Dowling College, a Master of Arts in Teaching English from Brooklyn College, a Master of Education in Educational Administration from Concordia University Nebraska, and a Doctor of Theology, focusing on impactful preaching.

Dr. Bell is currently the Assistant Pastor for Restoration House of Power, under the leadership of Pastor Sapphire L. Jackson. He is also the Secretary of State for Resurgence Unlimited Church under the leadership of Patriarch Orion R. Denmond, Ph.D and the Provincial Archbishop for the Sea of St. John the Beloved, which covers the North Eastern portion of the United States, the Caribbean, and parts of Central America, including Belize and Honduras.

His greatest accomplishment is watching the growth and success of the young people who call him Dad, Papa, and Pops, including: Matt, Dev, Dynalee, Alexis, Marcus, and Angie.