Board Bio
Bernice Maldonado has been a member of NRWA since 2020 and joined the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee in 2022, and joined the Board as Marketing Chair in 2023.
Bernice is a consultant and researcher. Through her consulting practice, Catalyst Era, she advises organizations on how to implement people-centered change and talent management practices. She uses her background in consulting, change management, performance improvement, visual communications, and human-centered design to drive practical and inclusive organizational transformation.
Her experience of transitioning from a low-income, working-class background to a white-collar professional and business owner has made her a huge advocate for First-Generation Talent. She founded First Gen Talent to lead research on socioeconomic class impacts in the workplace focused on First-Gen Professionals, or professionals who come from working-class backgrounds. Her goal is to provide data-driven insights to influence inclusive change in talent management practices.
Bernice holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from UC Irvine and is active on boards and committees including the UCLA Extension Board of Advisors, the Association of Change Management Professionals (ACMP), and the National Resume Writers Association (NRWA).
