Joanna Ruth Bell was born May 28, 1990 in Fort Worth, TX, and died July 12, 2022 in Spartanburg, SC. She was daughter to Dr. Richard Bell and Beverly Bell and sister to Deborah and Joel and his wife, Katie. Dr. Bell, a veterinarian, services a large portion of South Carolina with his pet-friendly, highly-affordable, traveling vaccination clinics, Bell Pet Care Clinics; Beverly assists with the family business; Deborah works as a nurse; and Katie works as a wedding and portrait photographer.
Joanna Ruth Bell was born May 28, 1990 in Fort Worth, TX, and died July 12, 2022 in Spartanburg, SC. She was daughter to Dr. Richard Bell and Beverly Bell and sister to Deborah and Joel and his wife, Katie. Dr. Bell, a veterinarian, services a large portion of South Carolina with his pet-friendly, highly-affordable, traveling vaccination clinics, Bell Pet Care Clinics; Beverly assists with the family business; Deborah works as a nurse; and Katie works as a wedding and portrait photographer.
Trustees
Joel R. Bell
Brother of Joanna Bell
(US-UK Trustee)
Joanna was such a special person, and I hope that the success of this foundation in some way reflects how exceptional she truly was.
Joel, husband to Katie and brother of Joanna Bell, was born in the United States but spent his childhood in Egypt and Croatia. After returning to the U.S. for part of high school, he took up American football, becoming an All-American at Furman University before joining the Buffalo Bills, spending three years in the CFL, and a year in the UFL. After his football career, Joel attended the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, completing both a Master’s of Divinity and a Master’s of Theology. Currently, Joel is close to completing his DPhil (PhD) in Hebrew and Jewish studies at the University of Oxford where he focuses primarily on the ancient Greek translations of the Hebrew Bible.
Dr William J. Waldock
Medical Doctor, Researcher, and Clinical Innovator (US-UK Trustee)
Through JRBF, the Bell family is positioned to make a global impact for families affected by NF1.
Dr William J. Waldock is a Sydney-born medical doctor, researcher, and clinical innovator trained at the University of Cambridge. He received six academic prizes including the Royal College of Surgeons BSc Prize whilst a medical student. William has conducted infectious disease, neurology and oncology research, and contributed to a systematic review in ophthalmology for The Lancet Global Health Commission. He was selected for the prestigious NIHR Academic Surgery and Innovation Foundation Programme. As a current PhD candidate at Imperial College London’s Institute of Global Health Innovation, his Ramsay Postgraduate Scholarship will support his research on AI-driven approaches to antimicrobial resistance. His work has resulted in over 16 peer-reviewed publications and multiple international presentations. William is a 2025 Venture Institute Fellow, completed the Nucleate Global Activator Programme, and currently serves on the British Medical Journal Future Health Advisory Committee. He aspires to shape global health policy through clinically informed, digitally enabled innovation as a Chief Medical Officer.
Ethan Kuhn
Fundraising Specialist
(US-UK Trustee)
As a trustee for JRBF, I am deeply committed to advancing research and treatments for NF1-related diseases.
Ethan, husband and father, brings extensive fundraising and leadership experience to JRBF. He currently a director for Fundraising Consultants Ltd.
A US national, Ethan has led fundraising programmes for educational institutions in the US and UK. Most recently, Ethan served as the inaugural Director of Development at St Benet’s Hall, University of Oxford, where he was tasked with creating a comprehensive fundraising programme for the Hall. With skills across all fundraising disciplines, Ethan particularly enjoys working with small charities and new startups.
Ethan is currently also a trustee of his university fraternity’s alumni board and has served as a trustee or fundraising subcommittee member for multiple environmental and art charities.
Dr Annie Duncan
General Surgery
(US-UK Trustee)
My commitment as a JRBF trustee is driven by witnessing firsthand the challenges genetic diseases like NF1 create for individuals and families.
Dr Annie Duncan is a general surgery resident at Baptist Health Miami, with a keen interest in genetic disease including NF1. Growing up in Houston, she developed a passion for medicine that ultimately led her to earn her medical degree from McGovern Medical School at UT Houston. Previous to that, she earned her Master’s in Public Health from the University of Virginia and a degree in Biomedical Engineering from Dartmouth College, reflecting her commitment to combining clinical skills with a public health perspective. Beyond her medical career, Annie enjoys traveling, horseback riding, gardening, and crocheting.
Brent C. Johnson
(US Trustee)
Joanna Bell’s faith and friendship provided hope for our family, and the JRB Foundation will honor her legacy by doing the same for many more.”
Brent and his family live in Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA and are friends of Joanna Bell. Brent was born and raised in Spartanburg, where he also graduated from Wofford College. His career as an industrial chemist led him all over the southeastern USA, finally returning to Spartanburg to raise his family. His son Andrew was diagnosed with NF 1 in 2018, at around 1 year old. Shortly after Andrew’s diagnosis, Joanna Bell began visiting the same church as the Johnson family where they became fast friends.