Bernadette earned a B.S in Education from Wheelock College with dual teaching certifications for Grades K-3 and 1-6 and taught in private and public schools in urban and suburban communities. She also taught in a maximum-security setting at an adjudicated youth facility in Connecticut.

 

She then served over 20 years as the executive and personal assistant to Jill Ker Conway, President Emerita, Smith College. Bernadette has collaborated with a number of Fortune 500 companies, domestic and international colleges and universities as well as notable for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. Bernadette has extensive managerial expertise in human resources, budget and finance, office management, logistics, facilitation, communications and conflict resolution. She was an invited guest to the White House in 2012 to witness the National Humanities Award medal ceremony hosted by President Obama.