Rhoda Bernard

Rhoda Bernard is the founding managing director of the Berklee Institute of Accessible Arts Education (BIAAE) and assistant chair of the Music Education Department at Berklee College of Music. She previously chaired the Music Education Department and directed autism spectrum programs at the Boston Conservatory, and has taught music theory and music education at New England Conservatory, where she also co-founded the Conservatory Lab Charter School in Boston. Bernard holds a Bachelor of Arts in government from Harvard University, a Bachelor of Music in jazz voice performance from New England Conservatory, a Master’s degree in Arts in Education, and an Ed.D. in Teaching and Learning from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

An internationally recognized expert in accessible arts education, Bernard has given numerous keynote addresses and conference presentations on access to arts education as a civil right, universal design for learning in the arts, and arts teacher education for students with disabilities. She is the author of Accessible Arts Education: Principles, Habits, and Strategies to Unleash Every Student’s Creativity and Learning, published in 2025, and her work on arts education and disability has appeared in book chapters and peer‑reviewed journals. Bernard also delivered a TEDx talk titled “The Talent Whisperer,” highlighting her asset‑based approach to teaching and leadership.