Her Story
About Alexandria
Alexandria Bernard is the Assistant Director of Business Development at a facility serving clients with mental health and substance use disorders. Since entering the field in 2009, she has held roles as a substance abuse counselor in California, where she earned her CATC2 credential, and later positions in Colorado involving intakes, discharge planning, case management, and business development after relocating approximately six years ago. She holds a Certified Addiction Technician credential in Colorado and certificates in addiction studies and addiction counseling from a junior college. As a board member of the Colorado Professional Liaisons Association (COPLA), Bernard focuses on connecting people to suitable treatment options through crisis intervention, warm handoffs, and community support. She attributes her success to her personal recovery journey and the guidance of a mentor who encouraged her to help others, and she actively participates in harm reduction efforts including Narcan distribution.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Alexandria
01What do you attribute your success to?
My success comes from my own recovery and from a woman who gave me back my life many years ago when I was struggling with mental health and substance issues. She held out her hand and told me that if I did this, I would better my life and be good at helping others too. That path led me here, and I want to give back what I was given by helping people find treatment and see how change can make their lives better.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
If you're a good leader, you're going to leave that team or that position better than you found it. It's not about awards and accolades. It's about leaving the team and being a leader that has taught a team to be better humans than they were before you met them. You can teach anybody how to pull a report, but it's a lot different to teach a person how to be a decent human being.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
You are good enough, and you're worthy. I wish somebody would have told me that. And just being your genuine, authentic self goes a lot farther than you trying to be somebody who you're not. People connect to that. People don't connect to fakeness.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Kindness, grit, loyalty, honesty, and being genuine. Just being yourself, your authentic self.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.