By: James Luctamar

Teedra Bernard has spent over two decades in the corporate world, helping evolve human resources from a back-office function into a more strategic part of the business. Yet her influence extends beyond traditional HR boundaries. A mom, wife, board member, and entrepreneur, Teedra represents a growing class of leaders who strive to balance business results with meaningful social contributions.

With a mix of corporate experience, empathy-driven leadership, and an eye for innovation, Teedra is contributing to a vision of the future where opportunity is increasingly accessible, inclusive, and transformative.

Entrepreneurial Foundations: A Community-Focused Beginning

Teedra’s entrepreneurial journey began during her corporate career, when she and her husband invested in two high-end barbershop franchises in Houston. This venture offered a new lens on business—teaching operational skills like managing cash flow, customer loyalty, and day-to-day logistics.

Her father and nieces also played key roles, turning the shops into a family-centered effort. The experience reinforced her perspective that community investment and business development can go hand in hand, with small businesses playing an important role in local economic opportunity.

New Wave Human Capital: Supporting Leaders and Startups

Building on years of HR experience and entrepreneurial insight, Teedra launched New Wave Human Capital, an advisory firm focused on HR strategy, talent development, and organizational design.

Her goal is to support leaders—from startup founders to senior executives—in creating people-centered cultures that align with broader business goals. Through her firm, Teedra offers services such as:

• Executive Coaching: Helping leaders reflect on and enhance their leadership styles to support stronger engagement and retention.
• Culture and DEI Strategy: Co-creating frameworks that embed diversity, equity, and inclusion into company culture and systems.
• Talent and Organizational Design: Supporting the development of agile, scalable teams that can adapt to evolving business demands.

Rather than providing “off-the-shelf HR solutions,” Teedra encourages customized, people-first strategies that align with long-term sustainability and relevance.

Blending Brand and Leadership: Authenticity in Action

Teedra believes that professional leadership and personal expression don’t need to exist in separate silos. A proud sneaker enthusiast and pop culture follower, she brings creativity, music, and fashion into her professional life—not as distractions but as bridges for authentic connection.

She has found that blending creative expression with business strategy helps build rapport across all levels of an organization, from entry-level employees to executive teams.

Key themes that help define her evolving leadership approach include:

• Empathy-Driven Decision-Making: Emphasizing listening and human connection in corporate leadership.
• Advisory Insight: Drawing from both corporate and entrepreneurial experiences to provide tailored strategic guidance.
• HR Evolution: Combining data, storytelling, and behavioral insights to explore new ways of thinking about talent and organizational structure.

2024: A Year of Recalibration and Purposeful Growth

After years of navigating large-scale HR initiatives and business ventures, Teedra chose to make 2024 a year of intentional recalibration. Rather than stepping away entirely, she took the time to reassess her path, evaluate market trends, and fine-tune her strategic priorities.

This reflective period allowed her to deepen her advisory work, engage more fully in her board roles, and mentor the next generation of HR professionals.

It was a pause with purpose—not a slowdown, but a strategic reset aimed at preparing for the next phase of high-impact work.

A Forward-Looking Vision: Teedra’s Outlook for 2025 and Beyond

Teedra envisions a future in which HR is viewed as a strategic driver of business—not just a support function. Her aspirations include:

• Pursuing executive leadership opportunities such as Chief People Officer or CHRO, where she can continue shaping company-wide transformation.
• Expanding New Wave Human Capital to work with a broader range of organizations, especially those navigating culture change, leadership development, or rapid growth.
• Building her influence in the social impact space through advisory board work and mentorship—particularly for professionals from historically underrepresented communities.

These goals reflect not just personal ambition but a broader commitment to helping organizations evolve in ways that are inclusive, sustainable, and purpose-driven.

Key Insights for Professionals Navigating Career Growth

For those following a similar path or exploring their own transitions, Teedra’s story offers several reflections:

• Own Your Story: Career shifts don’t need to follow a linear route. Strategic pivots can create space for deeper alignment with personal and professional goals.
• Be Open to Reinvention: Stepping into new industries or roles can provide unexpected growth opportunities. It’s not about having all the answers—it’s about being willing to learn and lead at the same time.
• Embed Inclusion in Strategy: Diversity and inclusion efforts thrive when they’re woven into business strategy—not just added on. Embedding these principles helps create more equitable environments where everyone can thrive.

Summary: Intentional Leadership for a Changing World

Teedra Bernard is a seasoned HR leader and thoughtful business strategist who has intentionally blended her corporate knowledge with entrepreneurial insight. Her journey reflects the belief that success is not about adhering to one path, but about being responsive to change—and leading with both empathy and vision.

As she looks to the future, Teedra’s focus remains on helping shape a more people-centric, inclusive, and adaptive business environment. Whether through executive leadership, advisory work, or mentoring, her approach centers on the idea that organizations do better when they invest deeply in people and purpose.

Published by Jeremy S.