Influential Woman · City Government

Belinda Bertrand

Executive Administrator to the Senior Advisor and Chief Strategist, and to the Deputy Chief of Public Safety, Mayor's Office Birmingham

Birmingham, AL 35205

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Associates in Science for Administrative Office Management Degree Seminole State College Degree Altamonte Springs Degree Florida Degree 2016 Degree Bachelor's of Arts in Communication Degree University of Alabama (expected Fall 2027) Cert Technical Certificate in Accounting Cert Technical Certificate in Office Support

Her Story

About Belinda

I have been in city government for almost 5 years, serving in the mayor's office in Birmingham. I work as the Executive Administrator to the Senior Advisor and Chief Strategist, and also to the Deputy Chief of Public Safety, supporting two different people with two different goals as far as what the mayor's agenda is. My key responsibilities include managing these two individuals, helping to curate their strategic planning, budget preparation, and ensuring alignment with the projects we have going on. I really focus on making sure everyone is on top of the initiatives that the mayor has in place. What I'm most proud of is being able to navigate the complex issues that we deal with on a daily basis in Birmingham, a city of over 300,000 people, and trying to make sure we touch all the lives in all of the 99 neighborhoods that we deal with every single day. I earned my Associates in Science for Administrative Office Management from Seminole State College in Altamonte Springs, Florida in 2016, and I'm currently pursuing my Bachelor's of Arts in Communication at the University of Alabama, which I hope to complete by fall of 2027.

Quick Facts

IndustryCity Government
Based inBirmingham, AL
Specialty City Government, Strategic Planning, Budget Preparation
- Public Safety Administration
Volunteers with Church

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Belinda

01What do you attribute your success to?

I definitely attribute my success to my mom and her resiliency. I definitely take after her, and being resilient, especially in this position, has benefited me in so many ways. I would literally give her all the credit.

02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

Early in my career, I felt like I focused heavily on doing my job well. But over time, I realized that leadership is mainly about understanding people and the dynamics and how decisions are actually made. Just learning to read a room and build trust and communicate clearly, I feel like has been just as important as any technical skill or degree.

03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?

Honestly, transparency. Transparency from leadership that sometimes puts professionals in a critical position. I feel like the opportunity is that we have the ability to kind of bridge a gap, especially between government and community. So, when communication is done really well, it builds understanding and it strengthens relationships.

04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

Values, definitely trust and honesty. I think a lot of the times, companies and different businesses, they're not really honest with their people, and that affects how we do our work. If you trust the people you hire, then the job they provide can definitely be exceptional, because you've given them that trust for the job that they have to do. I think sometimes that is missing and what is most needed in this day, so I definitely feel like trust and honesty is a value that we shouldn't negate, or ignore, or push aside.

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