Michelle D. Bernard is a lawyer, political analyst, author, CEO of the Bernard Center for Women, Politics & Public Policy, and principal of The Bernard Law Firm. Prior to founding the Bernard Center, she was a partner at the law firm Patton Boggs, LLP. In her current position, she concentrates on domestic and foreign policy matters while providing political commentary on various topics. Bernard is a passionate advocate of the Black Lives Matter and #SayHerName campaigns. Bernard also assists in the development of programs built on the pillars of democracy, women’s rights and religious freedom, political activism in a democracy, issues of governance, free markets, and non-governmental organizations in Asia and the Middle East.

Bernard has achieved many accolades throughout her career including but not limited to the 11th Annual Shirley Chisholm Memorial Trailblazers Award; a distinguished alumni achievement award from Howard University for outstanding achievement in media, journalism, and public policy; and the Anvil of Freedom Award for journalism and democracy by the University of Denver. She has been featured in several publications like Essence, Fast Company, and Jamaque magazines and The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, and The Root, where she authored op-eds and commentaries. Bernard has also published articles like “Naming the Sin: Are Churches Helping to Stop Domestic Violence or Enabling It,” and “Moving America Toward Justice: The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, 1963-2013.” 

Throughout her career, she has appeared regularly as a political analyst and media commentator on CNN’s Smerconish, HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher, and MSNBC's past election coverage. She was a regular panelist on TV One’s News One Now with Roland Martin and frequently guest-hosted Washington Watch with Roland Martin. In 2009, she co-created—and hosted—MSNBC’s education reform television special About Our Children.

Bernard earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and political science from Howard University and a juris doctor degree from Georgetown University. During her time at Georgetown’s Law School, she was a member of Georgetown’s law journal and was one of the founders of the Georgetown Environmental Law Review. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Calculus Roundtable and the McLean Project for the Arts. She also serves on the International Women’s Forum of Washington, D.C. She is a former member of  the Board of Directors of the Adams National Bank, the Ellington Fund of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, the Coalition for Opportunity in Education and has served on the Board of Trustees of Hampton University.