Pepperdine Graziadio Establishes the Drs. Martha and Faustino Bernadett Endowed Faculty Fellows Program

Pepperdine Graziadio Business School proudly announces the creation of the Drs. Martha and Faustino Bernadett Endowed Faculty Fellows Program, made possible through a transformative $2 million commitment from alumna Dr. Martha Molina Bernadett (MBA ’01, PKE 105), her husband Faustino, and Pepperdine University.

This generous investment will support distinguished faculty who exemplify excellence in teaching, research, and thought leadership, advancing Graziadio’s mission to champion principled business leaders.

Dean Deborah Crown expressed her gratitude for the Bernadetts’ enduring partnership and impact on the school:

"We are deeply grateful to Drs. Martha and Faustino Bernadett for their extraordinary generosity and belief in the power of business education to transform lives. Their support ensures that our faculty continue to inspire innovation, integrity, and purpose in the next generation of leaders."

The endowment reflects Dr. Bernadett’s lifelong commitment to education and empowerment through both her professional and philanthropic endeavors.

A family physician, recent appointee to the Pepperdine University Board, and member of the founding family of Fortune 500 company Molina Healthcare (NYSE: MOH), Dr. Bernadett serves as chief executive officer and board chair of The Molina Foundation. She and her husband, both physicians and healthcare executives, apply their expertise to philanthropic efforts that promote research and innovation benefiting faculty, students, and business leaders alike.

Throughout her career at Molina Healthcare, Dr. Bernadett shaped programs and policy to address underlying barriers faced by families. From pioneering plain-language initiatives to improve doctor–patient communication to leading teams with Palantir Technologies to reduce hospital readmission rates, she has been widely recognized as a pragmatic innovator and problem solver.

Together, the Bernadetts founded a national nonprofit dedicated to reducing disparities in education and health, with a focus on improving literacy and numeracy, essential foundations for navigating a complex world. Dr. Bernadett also maintains a longstanding interest in supporting families in business, emphasizing fairness to promote harmony. Her work continues to influence public service, healthcare, and education nationwide.

Learn more about the Bernadett family’s philanthropy and public service here.