M.A., English Communication Arts, Our Lady of the Lake University
B.A., English/History, University of Texas at San Antonio

Professor Bertrand is Writer-in-Residence for the St. Mary's University English & Communication Studies Department. She is a published author in poetry, non-fiction, and fiction for children and teens. Recent awards include 2008 Skipping Stones Award and finalist for 2008 Tejas Star Award for the bilingual novel "The Ruiz Street Kids/Los Muchachos de la calle Ruiz", (Arte Publico Press 2007); the American Library Association 2005 Schneider Family Book Award for her bilingual picture book, "My Pal Victor" (Raven Tree Press, 2004); the San Antonio Public Library 2005 Arts and Letters Award; and Honorable Mention 2005 Paterson Prize for Young Adult Literature for her collection of short fiction, "Upside Down and Backwards" (Arte Publico Press, 2004). She teaches composition, creative writing, and an English education course for the department as well as directs an independent study course on novel writing for selected students. She is also faculty moderator for the university literary magazine, "The Pecan Grove Review," which publishes prose and poetry written by St. Mary's students, faculty and staff.