Steven Bell
What is your full name?
Steven Bell
Would you like to share your pronouns? If so, what are they?
He/ His
What year did you graduate?
2011
What is your degree?
BFA Acting
Where are you originally from?
Wheeling, WV
What brought you to WVU?
I was drawn to acting ever since elementary school. A traveling theater troupe visited our school and asked for volunteers from my class to participate in their show. It felt like magic to be a part of the performance. I grew up introverted and shy. Being on the stage gave me a platform where I could learn to release unexpressed joy, sadness, and anger.
WVU offered me a scholarship for their Acting program and I was keen to get a degree without going into debt that would take most of my life to repay.
Where did you live now?
Brooklyn, NY
What are you doing these days for work? Feel free to share anything about your career that you'd love other Mountaineers to know about you. Is there a particular project that you're proud of? Any career successes that you've achieved after leaving WVU?
My current role is Vice President of People & Culture at Envision Horizons. We are a full service advertising agency that helps brands scale on Amazon. My journey into advertising and eventually senior leadership in the tech industry has truly taken me by surprise.
My first six years in NYC was devoted to improv classes, auditions, and filming a comedy web series.
In 2019, I felt a strong urge to make a dramatic pivot in my career. I left acting behind and jumped blindly into tech. I put in over 200 applications on Linkedin, was invited to seven interviews, and was presented with exactly zero offers. I ended up taking a project management role at a small tech company in Brooklyn; a role I actually found on Craigslist.
One year in that role gave me the experience I needed to jump to Envision Horizons as an Account Manager. This October is my third year with the company. I feel very grateful for the growth opportunity I’ve experienced here.
What do you enjoy doing when you're not working? How do you like to spend your days?
I love to cook. I’m a huge fan of Ina Garten. I’m a big Sci-Fi/Fantasy nerd so I’m usually listening to or reading a novel about wizards, dragons, or spaceships. I’m fairly active in the queer and alternative nightlife scene in Brooklyn. I take every opportunity I can get to spend time in nature.
Please feel free to share any life updates with our alumni network.
I live with my two partners Lance and Chris in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn. We have three cats named Rudy, Neville, and Hannibal Lector. I often spend time in Puerto Rico in the winter and the Pacific Northwest in the Summer.
What is one thing that's bringing you joy so far in 2023?
Any sandwich to be very honest. I love a croissant bacon egg and cheese, a turkey BLT, or a fried shrimp po’boy.
What is one of your favorite memories about your time at WVU?
That’s where I met the love of my life Lance! I remember meeting him for the first time in Towers dining hall. 15 years later here we are.
Where can people find you?
