Bernida Reagan, Director of Community and Client Relations, Merriwether Williams Insurance Services

Bernida Reagan, Director of Community and Client Relations, Merriwether Williams Insurance ServicesBernida Reagan is the Director of Community and Client Relations at the firm of Merriwether Williams Insurance Services where she designs, implements and evaluates policies and programs to expand business and employment opportunities for local residents and local businesses. Ms. Reagan has provided oversight for the revision of the Local Business Ordinance in Richmond California, helped design bonding and finance programs throughout the state, and is currently helping to develop a comprehensive Community Benefits Program for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. Prior to her role at Merriwether Williams Insurance Services, Bernida served as Director of Social Responsibility for the Port of Oakland from 2002-2007. In that role, she was responsible for development and implementation of policies and programs to maximize the utilization of small, local, woman- and minority-owned businesses seeking to do business with the Port of Oakland. Ms. Reagan has participated in numerous task forces and policy groups to review, evaluate and design programs and policies to maximize the utilization of small, local and minority businesses, including the advisory board for the Cal State East Bay Small Business Development Center, Cypress Mandela Training Center, the Oakland Private Industry Council, and Women’s Initiative for Self Employment. Bernida has also taught community economic development courses at Boalt Hall Law School and Hastings Law School and frequently lectures on issues of civil rights, economics justice and business development. Ms. Reagan is an attorney by training and holds a J.D. from UCLA School of Law.

Listen to her presentation at the Bay Area Social Equity Caucus Quarterly Meeting on Local Hire.