Every year, from September 15 to October 15, Hispanic Heritage Month is observed to honor and celebrate the many contributions, varied cultures, and lengthy histories of the American Latino community. It has been observed nationwide through festivals, exhibitions of art, conferences, community gatherings, and many other events, gaining popularity from people of all races and walks of life.
To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, Pepperdine Graziadio reached out to their seven Graziadio alumni who are Hispanic business leaders that made a mark in their own fields. All these Graziadio alumni illustrate what it means to be a Best for the World Leader, using their business acumen to make a positive impact on diverse cultures globally, and that includes, our very own, Martha Molina Bernadett, the wife of Dr. Faustino Bernadett.
Martha Molina Bernadett’s Feature
Dr. Martha Molina Bernadett is one of the seven Hispanic business leaders. She was featured in Pepperdine Graziadio and here is what they had to say:
Martha Molina Bernadett M.D. (MBA ‘01, PKE 105), CEO and Board Chair of the Molina Foundation
“Being Hispanic is a super power. The power of family drives us, and it led me to become a physician, a leader and a role model.”
Dr. Martha Molina Bernadett is a family physician and member of the founding family of Molina Healthcare, which for a time was the largest Hispanic-owned business in the U.S. She currently serves as chief executive officer and board chair of The Molina Foundation. Dr. Bernadett has traveled many paths as her career evolved from direct patient care as a family physician in a rural town with “three stop lights and no Starbucks” to leading research, innovation, and digital transformation at a Fortune 500 health plan.
Throughout her career, she has focused on providing access to care to underserved or marginalized populations. Dr. Bernadett says she has enjoyed serving individuals and families directly as a family physician, indirectly by establishing policy and overseeing systems of care as a Medicaid health plan executive, and in the nonprofit sector by addressing some of the root problems that lead to health disparities, namely access to education and healthcare.
Recently, she loaned her father’s medical bag and stethoscope to the Smithsonian, where they will be on display at the Molina Family Latino Gallery, which opened on June 18, 2022.
Dr. Tino Bernadett on his wife’s feature
Even before this feature, both Dr. Faustino Bernadett and his wife Martha Molina Bernadett are known supporters of the Hispanic community, especially of Hispanic Heritage Month. Tino Bernadett is beyond proud of his wife’s accomplishments and how her role in the community brought inspiration and encouragement.
Dr. Faustino Bernadett also wants to pay tribute to the numerous generations of Hispanic leaders who have contributed to the development of this nation and who are still fighting for equality and justice. The future of our country is in the hands of the Hispanic men and women of the next generation, and Tino Bernadett and his wife Martha Molina Bernadett hopes that people would continue to encourage and empower the Hispanic community.
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