As a once 16-year-old mother, Bernie is the founder and CEO of BRAVE Foundation , Australia's only national organisation, supporting and representing 8,300 expectant and parenting teens in each year.
This year, after over 12 years of lobbying Federal ministers and National Human Rights Commissioners, BRAVE Foundation was awarded $4.4 M to run a nationwide trial connecting 350 expecting and parenting teens to education and support opportunities.
With a strong sense of destiny, Bernie overcame adversity to finish her education; becoming a qualified nurse, upskilled her corporate governance capacity, enabling her to be appointed to Boards and strengthening her influence internationally to highlight acceptance and care around every person facing teenage pregnancy and parenthood, so that they can grow a healthy family.
Bernie has been Awarded Barnardos Australian Mother of the Year and Telstra Tasmanian Woman of the Year.