Marie A. Bernard, MD, AGSF
Marie A. Bernard, MD, AGSF, former Chief Officer for Scientific Workforce Diversity at the National Institutes of Health is the recipient of the prestigious Nascher/Manning Award this year. Throughout her distinguished career, Dr. Bernard has played a pivotal role in advancing research on aging and Alzheimer’s disease, fostering multiple perspectives in the biomedical workforce, and shaping national health initiatives that impact older adults.
Dr. Bernard, who retired from federal service in late 2024, leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of leadership, advocacy, and scientific advancement that will continue to shape the field of geriatrics for generations to come. As the Chief Officer for Scientific Workforce Diversity (COSWD) at NIH, Dr. Bernard spearheaded efforts to ensure that numerous viewpoints were represented in biomedical research. Prior to this, she served as Deputy Director of the National Institute on Aging (NIA), working closely with the NIA Director to oversee approximately $3.1 billion in research focused on aging and Alzheimer’s disease. Key among her accomplishments as COSWD includes her establishing systematic outreach to institutions that had not received much in NIH funding, including rural institutions, to foster enhanced awareness and communication about NIH opportunities. As NIA Deputy, she co-led the NIH Inclusion Governance Committee, assuring that there was appropriate inclusion of populations representative of the U. S. in clinical trials. Under her leadership, NIH developed the Inclusion Across the Lifespan Policy that mandates that children and older adults be included in clinical trials.
Dr. Bernard has been a tireless advocate working within NIH and beyond. When she was NIA Deputy, she co-chaired two of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ “Healthy People 2020” objectives: “Older Adults” and “Dementias, including Alzheimer’s Disease”.
Before joining NIH in 2008, Dr. Bernard was the Donald W. Reynolds Chair in Geriatric Medicine and founding chairperson of the Donald W. Reynolds Department of Geriatric Medicine at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine. She also served as Associate Chief of Staff for Geriatrics and Extended Care at the Oklahoma City Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Her University of Oklahoma efforts led to a $32 million endowment from the State and the Reynolds Foundation for geriatrics and aging research and training.
Dr. Bernard graduated from Bryn Mawr College and University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. She did internal medicine residency training at Temple University Hospital where she also served as chief resident. She received additional training from the Geriatric Education Center of Pennsylvania, the AAMC Health Services Research Institute, and the Wharton Executive Development program.
Past Recipients of the Nascher / Manning Award
2024 William J. Hall, MD, MACP
2022 Jerry C. Johnson, MD, AGSF
2020 Todd Semla, PharmD, MS, AGSF
2018 William Applegate, MD, MPH, MACP, AGSF
Thomas Edes, MD, MS
2016 William Hazzard, MD, AGSF
2014 Paul McGann, MD
2012 Joseph G Ouslander, MD AGSF
2010 Mathy Mezey, EdD, RN, FAAN
2008 Jeffrey B. Halter, MD
2006 Patricia P. Barry, MD, MPH
2004 Kenneth L. Minaker
2002 John Morley, MB, B.Ch
2000 Peter Boling, MD