Our Founder and History
Created in 2006, Step UP! is a Proven, Award-Winning Bystander Intervention Program
Becky Bell created Step UP! in 2006 and, with input from national experts from the NCAA, University of Virginia, University of Maryland, and University of California, Irvine, the Step UP! bystander intervention program was formally introduced at the University of Arizona in 2008.
More than two decades after its launch, Step UP! continues to make a difference through trainings, resources, and innovative approaches that support positive action and community well-being.
About Becky Bell
Becky Bell, M.A. is the creator and founder of Step UP! (2006) which won the prestigious NASPA Gold Award. She collaborated with colleagues across the country to further develop the program, which officially rolled out in 2008. Initially targeted for student athletes, it quickly grew into a resource for departments across campuses and then colleges, businesses, and organizations across the country and beyond. Step UP! continues to improve and evolve under Bell’s vision and leadership.
Bell was recognized with two University of Arizona Visionary Leadership Awards for her work on Step UP!: a 2009 individual UA Visionary Leadership Award for her work on Step UP!, and the 2018 Peter Likins Award for Inclusive Excellence, given to her C.A.T.S. Life Skills team.
Bell is a former All-American at UCLA in tennis and earned her undergraduate degree in kinesiology. She was an assistant tennis coach at UCLA for 5 years, where they won a national championship. She then became the head coach at the University of Arizona, a position she held for 12 years. She then became an associate athletics director and oversaw the C.A.T.S. Life Skills Program. Bell has earned master’s degrees in both sports administration and counseling.
Bell was inducted into the Riverside, California Sports Hall of Fame in 2019, the University of Arizona Sports Hall of Fame in 2020, and the Riverside, California Poly High School Hall of Fame in 2025. She also received the illustrious John “Button” Salmon Award for dedicated leadership and service to the University of Arizona Athletics Department in 2022.
Becky Bell, M.A.
Founding Executive Board Members
Founding executive board members who helped organize and grow the national conferences and made significant contributions to the program’s development.
Susie Bruce, M.Ed., University of Virginia
Doug Everhart, M.A., University of California, Irvine
Scott Goldman, Ph.D., The University of Arizona
Sue Sherburne, Ph.D., University of Maryland
Mary Wilfert, M.Ed., NCAA
Customized Training That Fits Your Community
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