Bernardine Vester is a New Zealand Eisenhower Fellow. As foundation chief executive of the City of Manukau Education Trust (COMET), she led work on new models for family literacy, participation in early learning, school-business connections, youth transitions and community engagement in learning. In 2006 Bernardine received the Sir Frank Holmes Prize for her work on the relationship between local government and education. A former secondary teacher and junior vice-president of the Post Primary Teachers' Association, she has represented New Zealand at international teacher conferences, at the Commonwealth People's Forum in Uganda in 2008, and among other Eisenhower network leaders. She has served on the establishment boards of three new schools in Flat Bush and completed an assignment in the Auckland mayoral office. She is deputy chairperson of the Teach First NZ board and chairs Te Tuhi Contemporary Art Trust in Pakuranga. She operates her own consultancy business.