As a Black child relocating from Philadelphia, Pa. to Prince George's County, Md in 1966, Bernard was rejected by many area schools — including Bladensburg High School, which to that time had never allowed a Black student to attend. This gave him his first view of what it meant to be among the underserved and what created the system of undeserving targeted people and communities.

After attending the Columbia School of Broadcasting in Washington D.C., Bernard worked for WOOK radio as an engineer and part-time announcer from 1970-1972.

By 1972, Bernard worked for Edison Brothers Stores Inc, a national retail chain, managing retail units and rising to the level of Regional Sales and Operations Manager with dozens of stores under his supervision.

Bernard spent time working with legendary vision therapist and author, Dr. Harry Wachs. It was here, at the Vision & Conceptual Development Center, where Bernard began to understand the extent to which minority populations are disproportionately affected by the lack of testing and educational opportunities at young ages. It’s long been a passion of his to find ways to address these inequities, and give children of all backgrounds the same opportunities in life.

Bernard is excited to have the time to bring what he has learned to the cause he cares for the most: children. He serves as a board member for the Scotland Storm Foundation Inc., which focuses on strategies to improve outcomes in reading and mathematics for the youth of the Scotland community in Potomac, Md. It is Bernard’s goal, ultimately, to have the Storm program grow into a County-wide model.