Bernadette Bisbing is from the Philadelphia area. She grew up as a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults). American Sign Language (ASL) was her first language growing up. She has had a life-long interest in learning and comparing visual and audial communication methods. She prefers to use the term “shared history” over “oral history” to better incorporate the Deaf population into the overall mission of including everyone’s contributions to our shared human experience and record.

Bernadette graduated from Temple University with her B.A majoring in History and Political Science focusing on “Third-World History” and “International Politics” as her main areas of study. She minored in Art and Latin American Studies. Later she graduated from Temple University with her M.A. in History with Soviet History as her specialized area of study. After graduating from Temple, she worked in various non-profit jobs and customer service jobs until she decided to pursue ASL-English interpreting. After working with Deaf and Deaf-Blind students for a few years she has decided to return to her first academic love - History. Bernadette enrolled in the Oral History Masters of Arts program in the Fall of 2023 to study the death of her uncle Roy Gallegos and the impact his death had on the family and the community in Santa Fe, NM. While a student in the program she worked as an intern for the Movements Against Mass Incarceration Oral History Project. She wrote her thesis, titled "Remembering Roy After Gentrification" and exhibited some of her interviews in "Zozobra Brings His Glooms East."

Outside of work and studying, Bernadette enjoys running. She has completed 28 marathons and hopes to join the 50-state marathon and half marathon clubs. She is at the halfway mark with 25 states crossed off the list. As a side project, Bernadette is also conducting oral histories of people also in pursuit of completing a race in all 50 states. Besides running she enjoys yoga, lifting weights, and hiking. She is an avid nature enthusiast and is also an animal enthusiast. Bernadette spends countless hours photographing, painting, and drawing the plants and animals she encounters in nature.