Welcome to the board: Meet ATSU’s two newest Board of Trustees members
Posted: April 13, 2026ATSU’s Board of Trustees serves as the University’s governing body, providing strategic leadership and guidance in support of its mission. Board members are appointed annually and serve nine-year terms, during which time they help shape the University’s long-term direction. In August 2025, ATSU appointed two new members to its Board of Trustees: Helen J. McBride, PhD, and Kari S. Bernard, PhD, PA-C, ’04.
Helen J. McBride, PhD
Location: Woodland Hills, California
Education: Texas A&M University, University of Utah, and California Institute of Technology
Occupation: Venture capital investor
What inspired you to join ATSU’s Board of Trustees?
I was inspired by how deeply ATSU lives its mission of whole person healthcare and service to others. Having trusted a DO with my own care for more than 20 years, I have seen firsthand how osteopathic training changes the way clinicians listen, partner, and treat the whole person. I also felt I could contribute a complementary perspective as an early-stage healthcare investor, helping the board think about innovation, equity, and sustainability to benefit students, patients, and communities.
What do you hope to achieve during your time on the board?
I hope to help ATSU stay ahead of where medicine and healthcare are heading. As an early-stage healthcare investor, I’m fortunate to see emerging science, technology, and care models (often a decade before they become mainstream). I want to share those insights so ATSU can thoughtfully navigate rapid change, including the rise of artificial intelligence. Most of all, I hope this work helps equip students to lead with both clinical excellence and compassion in whatever the future of healthcare holds.
Fun fact:
As a young adult, my motorcycle was my main ride and my favorite kind of freedom – right up until the snowy winters in Salt Lake City finally convinced me it was time to trade two wheels for four.
Kari S. Bernard, PhD, PA-C, ’04
Location: Norfolk, Virginia
Education: Eastern New Mexico University, ATSU-ASHS, and Walden University
Occupation: Physician assistant, associate professor, and director of the Doctor of Medical Science program at The College of Idaho
What inspired you to join ATSU’s Board of Trustees?
A mentor saw my potential to serve the board, which inspired me to get involved. I completed my physician assistant education at ATSU’s Arizona School of Health Sciences and have admired the University and its graduates ever since, so the opportunity to give back in this way felt both meaningful and natural. I am also at a stage in my career where contributing to organizational leadership at the board level feels both appropriate and well-timed.
What perspectives or experiences do you hope to bring?
I am honored to bring both the physician assistant and alumni perspective to the board. With 20 years of clinical practice experience and 11 years in higher education, I look forward to contributing insights reflecting both the realities of patient care and the evolving needs of students and health professions learners. I hope to contribute insights that align patient care, workforce preparation and well-being, and student development.
Fun fact:
I lived in Mongolia for 1.5 years when my husband was stationed at the U.S. embassy in Ulaanbaatar. While there, we adopted a street dog and named her Altai after the mountain range bordering Russia and China in western Mongolia. When we returned to the U.S., Altai came with us. We don’t know when she was born, so we celebrate her birthday on March 8, International Women’s Day, which is a cherished holiday in Mongolia.
“We are thrilled to welcome Drs. McBride and Bernard to the board. We look forward to their unique contributions and insights, which will move the University forward.”
-Craig M. Phelps, DO, ’84, chancellor, ATSU