As the Government Affairs Manager for the City of Coconut Creek, Bernadette leads the City’s strategic planning, legislative advocacy, and intergovernmental relations efforts. Bernadette works closely with regional partners, state and federal agencies, and community stakeholders to drive key initiatives that align with the City’s priorities, and has successfully secured $6.5 million in funding for the City.
Since joining the City in 2014, Bernadette has been a driving force behind the City’s long-term strategic direction, spearheading the development of the City’s Vision 2030 strategic plan, which was shaped through extensive community and employee engagement and is tightly aligned with the City’s budget and operations. Her work in this area throughout her career has earned recognition from both the Florida Governor’s Office and the international Kaplan and Norton Palladium Award for Performance Excellence.
Bernadette has leveraged her expertise in strategic planning, legislative advocacy, organizational development, and community outreach to lead impactful initiatives that have improved organizational efficiency, fostered cross-sector collaboration, and driven long-term growth. She is a member of ICMA, FCCMA, BCCMA, and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance Entrepreneurship Council. She holds a Master of Public Administration from North Carolina State University, is a graduate of the University of Virginia’s LEAD program, and is a Six-Sigma Green Belt.