About this Nominee
With 20+ years of event management, project management, food and beverage experience and marketing and advertising, there is no challenge Bernadette cannot handle. The key to a successful event is clear communication, agreement of the set expectations, reliable vendors, like-minded partners and ALWAYS having a back up plan.
Bernadette has stopped traffic in San Francisco as the groom arrived at the venue via horseback. Bernadette has coordinated a surprise dance for the groom by the bride. Bernadette has also assisted in planning the honeymoon as a Certified Travel Agent. Bernadette has promoted bands, worked the venue to grow email lists and has been part of the Los Lonely Boys Street Team, La Onda, for 20 years!
In addition to weddings, Bernadette was the Events Director for a 6,200-sq ft restaurant in the Twitter building in San Francisco, planned, coordinated and executed promotional events up and down the West coast for an international advertising agency and was a Deployment Manager and Director for implementing SaaS systems for health-tech startups in the Midwest.
Bernadette has non-profit experience as well. As a long-time resident and looking to give back to her community, she has learned a lot in such a short time. Successes included the non-profit’s biggest toy distribution event ever in December 2025, a coat distribution event with One Subaru of Hayward and Operation Warm and their biggest Mother’s Day event yet – ALL with no budget! Processes were developed to tracking marketing efforts and growth, do press releases with newly generated media lists, marketing recaps outlining wins and losses was available to the generous partners and a procedure to thank individual donors were proposed.
As a 6-time participant and Team Captain in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s San Francisco, Bernadette is currently also volunteering on the Event Experience Committee and have presented at the 2025 kickoff event at Harmonic Brewing and the upcoming Donor and Volunteer Appreciation Event in November 2025.
Bernadette has transitioned into promotional work and is currently assisting with the woman-owned Straw Hat Pizza in Hayward and Public Relations assistance with Osorio Training Center. Straw Hat is the best sports bar in town, has a semi-private room and the owner is very much involved and supportive of the community. Osorio Training Center has a passionate Owner with a heart of gold offering a safe place to address jabs this world throws at us.
Bernadette is taking inspiration from a professional experience (The Event Planner Expo in October 2025), identifying new opportunities (pop-up promotional and community events and weekly TikTok Lives ‘bappletree’), and actively expanding her brand presence through creativity, consistency, and direct engagement — all hallmarks of entrepreneurship.
Bernadette started #WomenWednesday events while at the restaurant she co-owned in San Francisco in 2015 (see EaterSF mention!) Sporadic events have popped up since but events are scheduled thru 2025. See Upcoming Events on the blog or social media to learn more.