Title: STEM Education Specialist
Company: South Carolina’s Coalition for Mathematics & Science, Clemson University
Education: Doctor of Health Administration, Morehouse School of Medicine (2025); MS Biotechnology, Morehouse School of Medicine (2021); Master of Education Administration and Supervision, Anderson University (2013); BS in Biology, Erskine College (2006)
Career History: STEM Education Specialist, South Carolina’s Coalition for Mathematics and Science at Clemson University College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences (2023-Present); Biomedical Science Teacher, Anderson School District Five (2019-2023); Science Teacher, New York State Education Department (2018-2019); Science Teacher, Hebrew Academy of Nassau County (2017-2018); Science Teacher (Summer Enrichment), Nassau BOCES (2018); Medical Assistant, Garden City Dermatology (2015-2017); Biology Teacher, Anderson School District Five (2008-2015); Sales Associate, New York & Company (2002-2013); Nursing Assistant, AnMed Health (2007-2009)
Keisha R. Bentley, STEM Education Specialist at Clemson University, has been recognized as a Marquis Emerging Leader for their contributions and achievements in the fields of education and health care.
Launching her career as a sales associate with New York & Company, Dr. Bentley also served as a nursing assistant for AnMed Health for two years. She subsequently turned toward education, earning a Bachelor of Science from Erskine College in 2006, and became a biology teacher at Anderson School District Five in South Carolina, where she taught from 2008 to 2015. She had bolstered her credentials by obtaining her SAFE-T teacher evaluator certification, allowing her to collaborate with experienced educators and observe new teachers as they navigated their certification process. Eventually appointed to lead the SAFE-T team, she participated in the assistant principal’s academy through the district.
After relocating to New York, Dr. Bentley worked as a medical assistant at Garden City Dermatology, a private practice on Long Island. In addition to maintaining patient nursing visits, she developed standard operating procedures for dermatologic lasers. Soon thereafter, she began teaching science on Long Island—at Nassau BOCES and the Hebrew Academy of Nassau County—and for the New York State Education Department. In 2019, she returned to Anderson School District Five as a Project Lead the Way Biomedical Sciences instructor and department head. During this time, she completed the Bridges to Biotechnology and Bioentrepreneurship Summer Pipeline Program at Morehouse School of Medicine, after which she completed a Master of Science in biotechnology. She subsequently taught middle school science before transitioning, in 2023, into the role of STEM Education Specialist at South Carolina’s Coalition for Mathematics and Science at Clemson University College of Engineering, Computing, and Applied Sciences; here she provides professional development for administrators and other educators across the state, community outreach, and coaching support. Dr. Bentley, who has authored numerous papers in her field, earned a Doctor of Health Administration from Morehouse in 2025.
As a testament to her dedication to education and health care, Dr. Bentley—a member of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration, the American College of Healthcare Executives, and the National Association of Health Services Executives—has accrued numerous accolades. She has been recognized with a nomination for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching from the National Science Foundation and a GEBS MSNT Outstanding Achievement Award, a GEBS MSBT Outstanding Achievement Award, and a Graduate Education in Public Health Academic Excellence Award from the Morehouse School of Medicine.
Outside of her professional primary endeavors, Dr. Bentley has also found success as an independent travel agent at InteleTravel.com since 2024. Attributing her success to her faith, her love for the Lord, and her encouraging and supportive parents, she grew up with high standards for herself and a strong desire to excel. The rule in their household was “Always for your best,” a motto which has always guided her and that she’s shared with her former students.
Looking toward the future, she’s currently working on her goals and aspirations as she fully switches gears from education to health care. Her primary objective is to find a role that effectively bridges her 16 years of experience in education with her passion for health care—one of her main concerns is addressing the high maternal mortality rate experienced by women, particularly in the Deep South, and working on initiatives that reduce these rates. Additionally, she believes in the importance of improving health literacy, especially in rural communities, which she strives to tackle in areas where overall educational levels are low. She recognizes the need to bring in additional resources to help people navigate these challenges.