About me
Bernita Sykes is a native of Portsmouth, Virginia, and has been a resident of Central Virginia since 2001. She has a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Psychology. Bernita is currently pursuing her PhD in Special Education at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). Her professional career began in the classroom as a middle school special education teacher. After teaching for the public school system, Bernita worked with adults with special needs in a Day Support program for Henrico Area Mental Health and Developmental Services (HAMHDS). After attending a training at HAMHDS, Bernita’s career interests shifted. While at the training, Bernita met the supervisor of the agency’s Early Intervention program. After hearing about the program’s goals and mission of providing services to infants and toddlers with developmental delays, Bernita felt that she finally found what she was destined to do in life. In 2005 she began working as a Service Coordinator for HAMHDS’ Early Intervention program and in 2008, she was promoted to be the Local System Manager for the Henrico Area. Bernita is also an adjunct professor at VCU.