Bernadette Fernandez: Sculpting Confident Futures Through Etiquette and Empowerment

From Etiquette to Empowerment: Bernadette Fernandez is the visionary founder and CEO of Imagine Etiquette, Inc., where she has spent nearly a decade guiding students toward holistic growth, emotional intelligence, and poised leadership beyond the classroom.

This year, she is being honored with the Impact Award at the 2025 JoyTutor Celebrations of Courage Awards. With her transformative programs, Bernadette equips young minds with the confidence, communication, and composure they need to navigate school, society, and life with grace and resilience.

Bernadette Fernandez – Impact Award Honoree: (Photo source: www.imagineet.com)

Bridging a Glaring Gap in Education

In 2014, Bernadette recognized a critical omission in conventional schooling—the lack of soft-skill development that fosters integrity, empathy, and emotional intelligence. Out of that realization, Imagine Etiquette, Inc. was born. Drawing from her deep-rooted belief in teaching the “whole student,” she designed programs that emphasize personal growth alongside academic achievement.

Her flagship offerings—BELLS™, SEVA™, Saturday Empowerment, VASE™, dining etiquette workshops, and parent workshops—teach students how to communicate with clarity, act with confidence, and present themselves with dignity. These workshops have resonated across Los Angeles and beyond, spanning in-person experiences and virtual learning platforms.

Innovating with Resilience and Reach

When the pandemic disrupted in-person learning, Bernadette pivoted swiftly and compassionately—launching VASE™, Imagine Etiquette’s Virtual After-School Enrichment program. It was designed not just to occupy time, but to address emotional needs and cultivate digital resilience in a stressful moment.

Bernadette also established the Imagine Etiquette Youth Foundation (IEYF), a nonprofit dedicated to extending access to life skills training through behavioral finance, leadership, and enrichment summer programs. Her approach ensures that underserved students receive tools to step boldly into their futures.

Media Recognition and Educational Leadership

Bernadette’s dedication has attracted media coverage from KABC News, NBC News, ESPN LA, LA Parent Magazine, and Wave Magazine. She was also recognized with the inaugural Sister Circle Award in 2020, reflecting her leadership in mentoring and empowering youth through holistic education.

Bernadette holds a Career Technical Education Teaching Credential, with training from UCLA and USC, and is a certified Women Minority Business Enterprise (WMBE), a member of NAWBO–LA, and an alumna ambassador of USC Bridges to Business imagineet.com+1.

Honoring Bernadette’s Impact and Vision

At this year’s JoyTutor Celebrations of Courage Awards, we are honored to celebrate Bernadette Fernandez with the Impact Award. Her work reminds us that real courage lies in changing systems—to replace fear with confidence, isolation with inclusion, and confusion with clarity.

Bernadette illuminates pathways for students to not only succeed academically, but to stand tall as whole, confident individuals. Her legacy is not just what she teaches—but who her students become.