Martha Bernard has been an advocate for over 40 years, serving parents who need help for their children with learning disabilities. She served for many years as the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Lorge School and as a Board Member for both the Gateway School and the Mary McDowell Center for Learning. Over the years she also served on numerous committees and task forces for the Office of the Manhattan Borough President and the Chancellor of the New York City Public Schools. She was a consultant to the Jose P. case, one of the two major class action suits she was instrumental in instituting on behalf of the educational needs of children with disabilities. At the federal level, Ms. Bernard was actively involved in the development of P.L. 94-142 and served in Washington to help write the regulations.

Ms. Bernard has been involved from the very early stages of The Learning Disabilities Association of New York State. She founded the Manhattan Chapter in 1964 and served as the catalyst for the establishment of the Learning Disabilities Association of New York City in 1989, where she continues to since as Board President. She was State Association President from 1970 to 1973 and a trustee for over 30 years, serving on the Executive Committee in several officer positions. Ms. Bernard was also President of the national Learning Disabilities Association of America during 1973 and 1974