Dana Bernstein: Fervor and Forte

By Susie Davidson

Advocate Correspondent

BOSTON - Bright and gregarious, industrious and energetic, Dana Bernstein represents the best of the new generation of highly productive, contributive and essential young Jewish businesswomen. In any city, she would likely excel within myriad niches; in Boston, she is an asset, with a casual air of accomplishment that belies her 24 years.

A Framingham native, Dana attended the University of Rochester after graduating from Framingham High. Following a cum laude degree in Psychology, she spent a year living and working in London, and currently resides in Coolidge Corner, Brookline. Graduate school is in the future, most likely in joint JD/MBA programs or JD/MSW programs.

One wonders, however, where school would fit. Dana works full time at The Seasonal Table at the corner of Mass. and Commonwealth Aves. in Boston as their Marketing/Special Event Manager. But that's only the beginning. She writes for a new publication, Boston Flavor Magazine, is on the PR committee for Taste of the Nation and works for Sociedad Latina, a non-profit organization in Mission Hill which creates programs for Latino youths and their families. Also involved in theatre, she played Maria in "Joey and Maria's Comedy Italian Wedding" and recently, Sarah Siddons in Christopher Durang's "The Actor's Nightmare."

"When I was younger," she says, "I spent my summers working in my family business in New Hampshire, a seasonal candy/confection shop. Ever since I can remember I have loved being part of the business world, especially when it is food related. I'm very passionate about this particular area, and look forward to the day that I'm able to own my own restaurant/bar."

Dana is also a dot com survivor. "I was one of the first few employees at the internet company foodline.com, a website that handled on-line restaurant reservations and editorial food related content. It was a wonderful place to be. I handled all of their in-house and client-related special events, and I also doubled as the office manager (for over 60 employees). Unfortunately it suffered the same fate as many of the other dot coms and after filing for bankruptcy is now under completely new ownership."

Down, but not out: "Moving on from there I started a series of freelance gigs. I was hired by Louis Kasdon Sidell to help in the planning of her husband's gala event at the Four Seasons. I worked as a Publicist for Bayleaf Communications. I did some writing for Stuff@Night."

Her Judaic background shines as well. "While living in Framingham I was a member of the Temple Beth Am Congregation. I had my Bat Mitzvah there, had a 10th grade confirmation and continued taking classes until I graduated from High School. I was also an assistant Sunday School teacher for 4 and 5 year olds for two years."

Her mother's family is from Brookline; her grandmother was a Hebrew School Teacher at Kehillath Israel.

Keeping busy is no burden for Dana, who believes that an enjoyable atmosphere (or four) is key to true success. "I'm very much at home at The Seasonal Table. I believe it's important for people to have this passion in whatever they choose. One spends so much time working that it only makes sense to actually enjoy what they do."