Bernadette Austin is committed to equitable community development. She takes a multi-disciplinary and cross-sector approach to addressing the complex issues that communities face.
Bernadette brings extensive experience in community development praxis and public-private partnerships in community development praxis to her role as Executive Director of Center for Regional Change at the University of California at Davis. She works to build bridges across disciplines and support research that is community engaged, policy-oriented, and equity-focused. Bernadette serves as lead on multidisciplinary research projects, including developing tools to support affordable housing, understanding megaregion migration, supporting transportation equity, and advancing carbon neutrality. She is the Secretary for the Faculty Executive Committee for the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Her work managing outreach with civic, community, and industry partners from a variety of sectors informed the establishment of the UC Davis Office of Public Scholarship and Engagement.
Prior to her work at UC Davis, she founded Bernadette Austin Consulting Services, a consulting firm specializing in community development. She has worked for an affordable housing developer, local redevelopment agency, community development financial institution, and several nonprofit community health organizations. Her projects include Sacramento’s first true transit-oriented development, West Sacramento’s first urban farm stand, and the first project in the country to implement a federal program combining housing vouchers and health services for disabled adults. Learn more about her professional experience here.
Bernadette is an active member of and content contributor to several professional organizations for the real estate and land use planning industries, including the Urban Land Institute, American Planning Association, and Lambda Alpha International. She is Vice President of Programs for the California Planning Roundtable and a member of the ULI Health Leaders Network.
Bernadette is a member of the Advisory Committee to the Office of Health Equity at the California Department of Public Health and is the co-lead for the Sacramento Area Chapter of the Scholars Strategy Network. She serves on the Board of Directors for SAFE Credit Union, providing financial services in 13 Northern California counties. She also provides guidance as a member of the Board of Directors for Girl Scouts Heart of Central California, serving girls in 18 counties. She has been recognized as a notable woman leader by Sacramento Magazine and Comstock's Magazine, and the Sacramento Business Journal included her on their 40 Under 40 list. She holds a Master of Science in Community Development from UC Davis and a Bachelor of Science in Community Health from St. Mary’s College of California.
Bernadette brings extensive experience in community development praxis and public-private partnerships in community development praxis to her role as Executive Director of Center for Regional Change at the University of California at Davis. She works to build bridges across disciplines and support research that is community engaged, policy-oriented, and equity-focused. Bernadette serves as lead on multidisciplinary research projects, including developing tools to support affordable housing, understanding megaregion migration, supporting transportation equity, and advancing carbon neutrality. She is the Secretary for the Faculty Executive Committee for the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Her work managing outreach with civic, community, and industry partners from a variety of sectors informed the establishment of the UC Davis Office of Public Scholarship and Engagement.
Prior to her work at UC Davis, she founded Bernadette Austin Consulting Services, a consulting firm specializing in community development. She has worked for an affordable housing developer, local redevelopment agency, community development financial institution, and several nonprofit community health organizations. Her projects include Sacramento’s first true transit-oriented development, West Sacramento’s first urban farm stand, and the first project in the country to implement a federal program combining housing vouchers and health services for disabled adults. Learn more about her professional experience here.
Bernadette is an active member of and content contributor to several professional organizations for the real estate and land use planning industries, including the Urban Land Institute, American Planning Association, and Lambda Alpha International. She is Vice President of Programs for the California Planning Roundtable and a member of the ULI Health Leaders Network.
Bernadette is a member of the Advisory Committee to the Office of Health Equity at the California Department of Public Health and is the co-lead for the Sacramento Area Chapter of the Scholars Strategy Network. She serves on the Board of Directors for SAFE Credit Union, providing financial services in 13 Northern California counties. She also provides guidance as a member of the Board of Directors for Girl Scouts Heart of Central California, serving girls in 18 counties. She has been recognized as a notable woman leader by Sacramento Magazine and Comstock's Magazine, and the Sacramento Business Journal included her on their 40 Under 40 list. She holds a Master of Science in Community Development from UC Davis and a Bachelor of Science in Community Health from St. Mary’s College of California.
