Senator Dr. Wanda Thomas Bernard

Wanda Thomas Bernard is a transformative leader whose lifelong commitment to equity, inclusion, and workforce development has created lasting opportunities for underrepresented communities across Nova Scotia. As a founding member of the Africadian Empowerment Academy, she has championed innovative, community-rooted approaches that connect African Nova Scotians to meaningful careers in the skilled trades and construction sector. Under her leadership, the Academy has supported approximately 1,500 participants through culturally responsive programming focused on mentorship, readiness training, wraparound supports, and paid employment pathways.

Her advocacy has helped redefine traditional workforce development practices by proving that equitable access requires more than recruitment alone — it requires sustained support, belonging, and opportunity. Through partnerships with Irving Shipbuilding and Nova Scotia Community College, the Academy’s Shipbuilding Cohort achieved exceptional outcomes, including full-time employment offers for all graduates and pathways toward Red Seal certification. Senator Bernard’s visionary leadership continues to strengthen community benefits practices while advancing diversity, economic inclusion, and long-term prosperity for future generations.