60 second q&a with dr. bernard jones: “don’t stop being curious.”

There are some conversations that stay with you. My time with Dr. Bernard Jones is one of those conversations. From the moment we sat down, it was clear that Bernard doesn’t just talk about resilience. He has lived it. He has studied it. He has built a life and career – corporate, consulting, academic, and athletic – around understanding what it really takes to finish strong.

What struck me most is how deeply human his perspective is; this isn’t about theory or “getting through.” It’s about learning from adversity and becoming better because of it. Bernard is in the process of writing a book that sits at the intersection of personal story and professional wisdom, with one simple goal in mind: if it helps even one person move forward, it’s done its job. And after spending time with him, I can tell you it will.

I’m honored to introduce you to Bernard in this Q&A.

– Meg

toth shop (ts): You’re working on a book about resilience. In 10 words or less, what is your personal definition of resilience?

Dr. Bernard Jones (DBJ): My personal definition of resilience is summed up as: Perseverance.

ts: You write about growing up in the South Bronx not as the headline, but as context for your thinking, writing, way of being and showing up for life. How did where you started shape you, and where did you decide it would not define you?

DBJ: Growing up in the South Bronx during the 1960s and 1970s was challenging to say the least. Despair, hopelessness, desperation, and fear surround you on a daily basis. Growing up Black in the South Bronx provided four outcomes:

1. Become a gang member.

2. Fall prey to drugs and become an addict.

3. Enter prison.

4. Die at a young age.

Finding a path to escape this existence fueled my childhood and shaped who I am today. The old adage applies here, “It's not where you started, but where you finish.” I was not going to allow the environment to make me another victim, and I was determined to become a successful person.

ts: Communication shows up repeatedly in your life and career stories — from disaster recovery to navigating racism to personal relationships. Why do you believe communication is often the difference between collapse and continuity?

DBJ: Communication is paramount in all aspects of life and can mean life or death in disaster response and recovery. As a long-time emergency management professional, proper, effective, and credible communication is the single most important aspect of disaster response and recovery. Continuity of operations in the face of a crisis or disaster event relies on communication to allow critical information to flow for decision-making. Communication is also paramount in daily life regarding personal relationships.

With regard to navigating racism, I strongly advocate telling your story about how you addressed it and overcame it, which speaks to your personal resilience and can help others.

ts: You have had some powerful mentors and influences in your life across growing up, your tennis training, and your career in security and risk management. What’s the standout advice from one of your mentors that has stuck with you and guides you daily?

DBJ: There are so many bits of advice I have been given over the years, so it's difficult to pinpoint one. I will say that having powerful mentors was a key component to overcoming challenges and becoming successful in life. If I had to identify one piece of standout advice that continues to guide me daily, it would be don’t stop being curious, and continue to learn new things. This advice was given to me at a very early age by one of my mentors at the Boys & Girls Club, and it has stayed with me!

ts: Every person we interview answers this same question last – mile 18 is generally considered to be one of the hardest miles in a marathon. You’re hitting a wall; you’re forced to dig deep. What’s mile 18 in your line of work, or at a point in your career, what do you tell yourself when you find yourself in the middle of a mile 18?

DBJ: What a great final question! I’ve been at Mile 18 in both my line of work and at different points in my career. I honestly feel that growing up in the South Bronx was like Mile 18 on a daily basis. That's not an understatement because it really was that bad. What I would tell myself each and every day when faced with challenges is to try to persevere. It’s exactly the word that I defined earlier regarding personal resilience. If you don’t persevere, dig deep, and find every ounce of courage, you will fail the race, and you will fail in life. I truly believe this!