For Bernie, helping others has always been more than a career; it’s something she has been passionate about from an early age. As a Behavioral Health Coordinator at Hope Services, Bernie supports clients, coworkers, and management in countless ways. She coordinates needs, manages expenses and purchases, supports vendor and professional interactions, and helps clients access necessities such as hygiene supplies, electronics, and transportation. Knowing that her work can relieve some of the stress clients experience is especially meaningful to her.

Bernie’s interest in helping others began in high school, when she volunteered at a daycare and discovered how much she enjoyed working with children. She later served as a court-appointed child advocate, supporting youth through challenging circumstances and developing meaningful bonds along the way. Her experiences as a mentor helped shape her passion for being someone others can look up to and rely on.

After graduating from San Francisco State University with a degree in Psychology, Bernie began her journey with Hope Services in 2017. Today, she is grateful for the opportunity to continue growing within Hope and especially appreciates the support of her coworkers and management. She values having a workplace where she can share her ideas, pursue career growth, and have the flexibility to balance her professional and personal life.

Culture and family are an important part of Bernie’s life. As a member of the Latino/Hispanic community, she embraces both her American and Hispanic identities and works to keep her children connected to their Hispanic heritage. Food, music, language, and traditions all help maintain that connection. Bernie considers being bilingual a gift and believes that holding onto one’s native language helps strengthen communication and community.

For Bernie, cultural connection is also about sharing experiences. She enjoys seeing different cultures come together through food, music, and art, and loves when traditions that are meaningful to one community are appreciated and celebrated by others. She believes empathy and openness are important parts of creating stronger, more connected communities.

When she’s not at Hope, Bernie enjoys spending time with her family, crafting, painting, reading, photography, and exploring the outdoors. She loves camping, collecting plants and recently added Little League coaching to her list of activities. Most importantly, she cherishes creating happy moments and sharing laughter with those around her, especially her family.

Written by Kasim Ahsan, DEI Spotlight Committee.