MARY LEE BELL, MPA, BSN, RN, C of Seattle received her Bachelors
of Science in Nursing from the University of Washington and her Masters in Public
Administration from Seattle University. She is nationally certified by ANA in
Nursing Administration and has a certificate in Community Mental Health Systems
from the University of Washington. Mary Lee has been a committed member of WSNA
for over thirty years.
Mary Lee provided Public Health nursing services to high risk, low income
families for 39 years and for the past 15 years, Mary Lee has been Personal
Health Services supervisor for more than thirty Public Health nurses, registered
nurses, nutritionists, and social workers for the Seattle-King County Department
of Public Health. Prior to her recent retirement, she nurtured, developed, and
enhanced several community projects, including the teen parent project, Children
with Special Health Care Needs, the City Child Care Program, Women Infant and
Children supplemental nutrition programs, Maternity Support Services, Maternity
Case Management, and Senior Services.
Mary Lee was known for nurturing and developing leadership skills in her nurses
and made sure everyone had the opportunity to learn, to lead, and to experience
new ideas and projects. She taught hundreds of Public Health Nurses how to provide
competent, culturally appropriate care and promoted diversity in the workplace
by hiring minority nurses that were reflective of the communities they served.
She exuded a quiet strength in support of her staff and found the time for the
smallest to the greatest events in the careers of her nurses.
Mary Lee taught and modeled a leadership of empowerment with a belief in the
core principles of nursing. She encouraged nurses to work toward further education
and development. As a result, most of her staff have become active leaders in
the programs and communities they serve and her programs continue to stand alone
in quality.
Region X was constantly looking at methods to streamline nursing case management
and document flow. Mary Lee made sure her staff were aware, involved, and instrumental
in making the needed changes required by the state and federal block grants.
She gave the nurses all the time and support they needed to do their jobs well
and never separated herself from the change process. She worked closely with
the Region X Standards to implement the changes needed throughout the Health
Department by providing an atmosphere of professional support that brought out
the best in everyone without excluding anyone's contribution.
Mary Lee is also a quiet force on several community boards. Recently she served
on the Southeast Seattle Economic Development Board to help promote quality
health centers, housing and economic development for families in Southeast Seattle.
Mary Lee is a strong patient advocate, especially of adolescents and pregnant
teens. She promoted legislation that would allow them to remain in their public
schools. She's worked tirelessly for laws to protect public health, to prevent
child abuse, and to control communicable diseases.
It's amazing the number of changes and programs Mary Lee has juggled in the
past several years. She speaks of her love for nursing, public health and her
communities. This is where her heart is-in nursing and the difference it makes
in individual as well as community lives.
