Hello! I'm Bernardita
I'm a Counselor in Education, team-oriented educational professional with more than 15 years of educational experience and hands-on skill in development strategies for high school and college students, team building in life skills management, and highly effective in leadership. Skilled communicator, instructor and team leader with the flexibility and experience required to adjust rapidly. Uses effective and efficient methods of counseling focusing on the individual needs of each student. I'm bilingual speaker English and Spanish.
EXPERIENCE
2021-2022
Director and Counselor in Education
CONSULATE OF COLOMBIA - Orlando, FL
As a Counselor in Education, I was a Director of "Ventanilla Educativa (VE)" an educational program of the Consulate of Colombia in Orlando, I developed different workshops as : The pathway to College, FAFSA, etc. Also, I provided thousands hours of counseling individual and group sessions of career, academic and vocational counseling for Hispanic minority and vulnerable students.
2016-2021
Director and Counselor in Education
CONSULATE OF MEXICO - Orlando, FL
As a Counselor in Education, I was a Director of "Ventanilla de Orientacion Educativa (VOE)" an educational program of the Consulate of Mexico in Orlando, I developed different workshops as Millennials, Dreamers, Bullying, etc. Also, I provided thousands hours of counseling individual and group sessions of career, academic and vocational counseling for Hispanic minority and vulnerable students.
2016-2016
College Counselor & Professor
POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY – Orlando, FL
As a College Counselor, I organized workshops for students in order to maximize their developments, and created Student Retention College Programs. Also. I conducted inventories for minority students, oriented to achieve their academic and career goals, providing workshops and strategies for them.
2008-2014
College Career Center, Coordinator
TIMBER CREEK HIGH SCHOOL - Orlando, FL
As a Coordinator, I conducted individual and group career activities, based on the needs and interest of the students, to ensure of fully acquirement of their development skills. Also, I Organized workshops for parents and students to maximize student career and college opportunities and developed different plans to correct ongoing issues.
2006-2008
Spanish Teacher, Assistant
DISCOVERY MIDDLE SCHOOL - Orlando,FL
As a teacher assistant, I developed different activities related with the Spanish culture. Hispanic Heritage Festival, Feria del Libro and Hispanic Food Heritage. Also, the students had been involved with the Spanish literature and grammar.
2005-2006
Customer Services Specialist
AMERICAN EXPRESS - Orlando,FL
As a bilingual customer representative, I was managing large amounts of incoming calls and customer inquires. Also, I identified and assessing customer's needs to achieve satisfaction, built sustainable relationships and trust with customer accounts through open and interactive communication.
2004-2005
Customer Services Specialist
NET ONE COMMUNICATIONS - Orlando,FL
As a bilingual customer representative, I was managing large amounts of incoming calls and customer inquires. Also, I identified and assessing customer's needs to achieve satisfaction, built sustainable relationships and trust with customer accounts through open and interactive communication.
1999-2003
Journalist - Freelance
CHILEAN MASS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS - SANTIAGO,CHILE
As a freelance journalist, I was writing articles related to political and technologies information, Also, I was conducted different political interviews. Moreover, I research, write, edit, proofread and file the news stories.
1995-1998
Journalist & Marketing
SISTEMAS ORACLE CHILE - Santiago,Chile
As a journalist in marketing department, I was interacting with clients about the product or service being sold and how each client wants it presented to the public. Also, I was in charged of the Oracle magazine and the planification of Chile, Oracle Open World.
1994-1998
Journalism College Professor
UNIVERSIDAD DE SANTIAGO DE CHILE
As a college professor, I developed different workshops related to the mass media and technologies. Also, developed the first newspaper on line, creating and teaching the new agenda setting.Moreover, I conducted internet research for the e-newspaper.
1992-1993
Broadcast Journalist
RADIO MONUMENTAL - Santiago, Chile
As a radio broadcast journalist, I selected and research topics, contacts and interviews sources, maintaining notes, recording and files. Also, managed social media presence for new gathering, new distribution and branding purposes.
1990-1992
Political Journalist
EL MERCURIO NEWSPAPER - Santiago, Chile
As a political journalist, I was working on breaking political news stories, in depth investigative report concerning political issues. Also, I conducted investigation about politician's background, corruption in politics,or any political story that requires checking and verification.
EDUCATION
2014-2016
Master in Education
and Counseling
UNIVERSIDAD DEL TURABO
Counselor in education prepares me to enter a dynamic world of student affairs and higher education in a pluralistic-multicultural society, Also, school/college setting can contribute to the academic, social, and emotional growth helping students achieve their goals.
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1995-1996
Master in Science
Social Communication
and Technologies
UNIVERSIDAD DIEGO PORTALES
This master degree gave me the opportunity to interact with the new technologies and mass media. I learned how to develop the new agenda setting and allowed me to achieve competencies and skills in the area of broadly interactive media in public communication.
1989-1994
Journalist (1994)
Bachelor in Science,
Social Communication and Mass Media (1993)
UNIVERSIDAD DE SANTIAGO DE CHILE
This bachelor degree gave me the opportunity to learn how to research, document, write, and present the news in an honest, ethical, and unbiased way. Although the method for reporting the news and interviewing people in a wide range of circumstances.
SKILLS
Life Skills Management - Proficient
Communication Skills - Proficient
Spanish - Mother Tongue
Conflict Resolution Skills - Advanced
College Retention Skills - Advanced
Microsoft ExCel - Advanced
Team Leader - Proficient
Leadership - Proficient
English - Proficient
Crisis Prevention / Intervention Skills - Advanced
Power Point - Advanced
Microsoft Word - Advanced
EXPERTISE
K-12 & COLLEGE COUNSELOR
As a counselor, I've been conducted individual and group counseling based on different interest and needs from the students developing skills for learning at their full potential. Also, I conducted assessment tools and proactive strategies to improve instruction methods.
EDUCATIONAL COUNSELOR
As educational counselor, I've developed different workshops based on student developments, life skill managements, prevention programs, retention college programs, mentoring programs for a multicultural student population and parents as a bilingual professional (Spanish/English)
JOURNALIST
As a journalist, I could developed my career in different ways. As political journalist gave me the experience to investigate political issues and the politician stories. Also, as a radial/broadcasting journalist conducted me to work on identifying, researching new stories for a wide range of audiences.