Westbound Communications Inc. has recently hired Sandra A. Bernardo, APR, as Vice President in the agency’s Orange County office. In her role, Bernardo will focus on generating new business leads, driving senior counsel for the agency’s clients, and managing the company’s multicultural outreach services.

“As we continue to expand our offerings as a strategic communications agency, the addition of Sandra adds greater depth to our team for both our multicultural and general audience clients we serve,” said Westbound Communications President and CEO Scott Smith. “We are happy to bring her extensive expertise to our firm.”

Prior to joining Westbound, Bernardo worked in the private sector and managed her own public relations consultancy for several years. Her background also includes serving as Vice President for Euro RSCG Magnet, a national public relations agency, during which she managed multicultural and general market campaigns for major clients as Lactaid Milk, Johnson & Johnson, Splenda, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. During this tenure, Bernardo along with Smith and Westbound’s Senior Vice President and General Manager Carrie Gilbreth, were members of the agency’s Southern California leadership nucleus.

“I am thrilled to be re-joining respected former colleagues and their growing agency to be another building block in generating even more success,” said Bernardo. “The leadership team has built an impressive regional firm that offers strategic and integrated capabilities that I look forward to contributing to by bringing my expertise in consumer, multicultural marketing, public affairs and healthcare.”

Bernardo’s professional work has earned her more than 20 industry awards, many of which recognize successful campaigns with multicultural audiences. Her honors have included several Sabre and PRSA awards and a PR Week Magazine Multicultural Marketing Campaign of the Year nod. Bernardo was also named as “Woman of the Year in Communications” by the Orange County chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens.