Ep 83: Gail Bernard: Live Your Life Like You Stole It!

Diva Tech Talk interviewed Gail Bernard, Director of Sales, Americas for Cybernoor, a leading provider of Oracle platform solutions. In Gail’s childhood, she was fascinated by science and attended the University of Washington where she entered pre-med. “I saw technology, originally, as enabling medicine,” she said but additionally “I saw we could use technology to solve business problems, life problems.” She migrated to management information systems and transferred to the University of Michigan, to complete her BBA in MIS.   During two internships at Chrysler Corporation. she managed the personal computer rollout for the entire company. Then she began working at Chrysler, full-time, after graduation as a systems analyst in their product development group. Her team produced a complicated engineering BOM (Bill of Materials). “I got to work with amazing, brilliant people!”

After Chrysler, Gail moved to consulting and gained in-depth experience in inventory and supply chain technology deployment. Then she moved into technology consulting sales to “deliver the breadth and depth of services” required by a number of very large Michigan clients. “Being around diverse groups of people taught me how to conduct myself in any given scenario,” Gail said.  Gail then migrated to founding and leading the Detroit-based office of Interactive Business Systems, when their full portfolio of products/services expanded into Michigan.

While Gail enjoyed the sales and consulting work, she became intellectually restless. She also underwent a bout with breast cancer, and “realized that having healthcare choices, in retirement, was big.” So, she decided to get her PMP certification, passing her exam on the first round.  That led Gail to her next career chapter as the Project Management Officer (PMO) for the U.S. District Court, Eastern Division, in Michigan ---- one of the largest consolidated court systems in the U.S.  Prior to her tenure, the court “no had created the point of service, but we were able to digitize the probation and pre-trial functions so that we ended up with the lowest recidivism rates of offenders, in the nation.”

Now Gail has returned to a consulting role at Cybernoor, which is “new to Michigan.”  Its founder, Ahmed Alomari ,  was the Vice President of Application Development at Oracle Corporation but left a decade ago to create an improved portfolio of products and services, founded on Oracle platforms.  What most excites Gail, in her role of driving sales throughout North America, is the fact that Cybernoor is a leader in full, organic digital transformation for large organizations.

Gail’s career success stems from her intellectual agility, the propensity to move/evolve at the speed of disruptive change, and constant quest for greater meaning in her work, which truly motivates her.  To stay joyous, she fully recognizes and basks in the glow of small and large accomplishments. “I don’t necessarily separate my professional life and my personal life,” she said. Having faced a significant health challenge, when she triumphed over cancer, she has only two fears today:  physical heights, and failure! She also gives back, regularly, to others dealing with that disease by “being a buddy” when she finds someone who needs support.

Gail’s leadership lessons included: “Don’t take shortcuts. Accept that males and females are different.  Lean into it! Celebrate it and pull the best out of it.” And “Empower, rather than command.” She also counseled to live in the moment and understand that life’s goal “is not a destination, it is a process.” Seizing the day, she giggled: “I say live your life like you stole it!”

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