Etsy :: The Storque :: Etc :: About Us: Bernadette a.k.a. bernsweeney

About Us: Bernadette a.k.a. bernsweeney


Story by bernsweeney, CustomerCare, Vanessa Published on June 26, 2009 in Etc	Photo by Morgan and Anda

Bernadette Sweeney, a.k.a. bernsweeney, heads up Etsy's Support Team. Before starting at Etsy in May 2009, Bernadette worked for companies such as Community Connect Inc. (now Interactive One) and 1-800-Flowers.com. She brings with her a wealth of professional experience and also her warmth and concern for our members. Please join us in officially welcoming Bernadette!

Fun Facts:

Bernadette, KC, Ahmed and Tara share Queens as their hometown.
She's a Mets fan.
Bernadette is a first-generation American. Both her parents are from Ireland, and many of her relatives still live in the Motherland. Lucky for Bernadette, she gets to visit them every other year or so. Unlucky for Bernadette, they get to come visit her, and consequently, she's taken the tourist trolley around Manhattan more times than she can remember and will be taking the Sex and the City tour with her cousins visiting from England this week.
She has kissed the Blarney Stone which is supposed to give you the "gift of gab." She says this could explain why she "can't stop talking."
She adores Bono and is so excited to go see U2 in the fall. Her first concert was Molly Hatchet, but she wishes it had been U2 or Bruce Springsteen or the Police.
After college, Bernadette backpacked for three months in Australia. She blew her life savings and had to move back in with her parents. She still loves to travel and recently went to a wedding in Spain.
Facebook lost some of its cool appeal for Bernadette when her 70-year-old mother joined. But that said, her mom is pretty cool.
"She completed her doctoral research Performing the Body in Irish Theatre" at the University College in Cork, Ireland. Oh. Wait, I think that's a different Bernadette Sweeney.
Tim says she was named after the song "Bernadette" — not The Four Tops one, but the gospel song about St. Bernadette. ("Bernadette!")
She took part in a special task force on internet safety held at Harvard Law School's Berkman Center for Internet and Society.
Bernadette is very sporty: She rides her bike, kayaks, and hikes.
She bribed the Support Team with cookies after her first interview at Etsy.

Family photos by the Christmas tree. Classic! Bernadette's mom is an expert knitter and made those cabled Irish fisherman's sweaters!

First Communion Bernadette looks like a little angel. But what is with that guilty look and that imprisoned baby crying for help in the background, hmmmm?

Etsy has had quite a growth spurt in the past year, and we have the awkward pictures to prove it. We've been posting a series of About Us pieces to help you get to know the Etsy admin (and since many of us work remotely, for the admin to get to know each other!). You've seen the admin badge, and maybe you're a bit curious about the person behind it! For more on Etsy's mission and about the company, please see our About page (the link is in the little blue footer of every Etsy page).

Some favorite shops below...

Tags	About Us, admin, Bernadette Sweeney, Customer Care, employee, ETC, Etsy, New York, Queens, staff, Support

All articles in Etc

Related Items

This article was reported by:

bernsweeney

shop . profile . contact

CustomerCare

shop . profile . contact

Vanessa

shop . profile . contact

64 comments Login to add your own!

June 26, 2009 at 2:19 p.m.

Ozknits

Welcome, welcome from a Yankees fan!! But I share your passion for U2.

Nice to meet you :)

June 26, 2009 at 2:20 p.m.

SewnNatural

Yay! Great to know you a bit, thanks for all your help for members. Cheers!

June 26, 2009 at 2:23 p.m.

bylynnkrestel

welcome!! look forward to working with you too!!

June 26, 2009 at 2:24 p.m.

maiziedesigns

I love the "getting to know us" series and Bernadette seems like sweetie. Thanks for sharing Bernadette!

June 26, 2009 at 2:27 p.m.

emilybidwell

Yeah Mets and hurrah for cookie bribes!

June 26, 2009 at 2:29 p.m.

aBreathofFrenchair

Welcome!

June 26, 2009 at 2:31 p.m.

dbabcock

A cookie bribe works every time! Great interview...it's nice to get to know each of you.

June 26, 2009 at 2:32 p.m.

eetzee

I want cookies!

June 26, 2009 at 2:35 p.m.

mookiejones

go mets! from an original new yorker. welcome.

June 26, 2009 at 2:35 p.m.

moonovermaize

Hi! Nice to meet you :) Love that First Communion photo!

June 26, 2009 at 2:36 p.m.

Vanessa

Bernadette, it's great to have you as part of the fam!

June 26, 2009 at 2:36 p.m.

ErinHaldrup

Bono Bono Bono Vox!!!!!!!! Welcome to Support, we're glad you're here.

June 26, 2009 at 2:38 p.m.

theivorymagnolia

welcome bern!

June 26, 2009 at 2:43 p.m.

4TheSparrowsNest

Hi Bernadette! Hurrah for customer support! You like U2 and cookies...good taste! ;-)

June 26, 2009 at 2:47 p.m.

bayousalvage

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
Especially on ETSY!

June 26, 2009 at 2:48 p.m.

warmnfuzzies

I love U2! Those sweaters her mom knit, are GREAT!

June 26, 2009 at 2:59 p.m.

tigersanddragons

Welcome Bernadette! Who can resist cookies?

June 26, 2009 at 3 p.m.

beautifulbridget

Great article!!

June 26, 2009 at 3:03 p.m.

beautifulbridget

Okay, I LOVE that hobo bag!!!

June 26, 2009 at 3:05 p.m.

missindie

Hi Bernadette! :]
Yay for Bono and the Blarney Stone!
xo.

June 26, 2009 at 3:10 p.m.

KOALACaddie

Ahhhhh, Bernadette's mom is an expert knitter! Perhaps a KOALA Caddie is in order! Great customer support is where Etsy really practices what it preaches! Best to Bernadette!

June 26, 2009 at 3:26 p.m.

pandawithcookie

Where does one kayak in Queens? Or do you escape to upstate?

June 26, 2009 at 3:49 p.m.

sean11

Love the First Communion photo and those handmade sweaters rule. I want one!

June 26, 2009 at 3:52 p.m.

OceanGrrl

I can be bribed with cookies too!

June 26, 2009 at 4:07 p.m.

bizzybcreations

Loooove, loove, love...U2!

Anyway, welcome...from one Bernadette to another [eeeeks--i hate my name, do you hate yours??!! LOL]

So, i also go by Bern...or Bizzy, or BizzyB, or Bizz...hahaha!

{=D

June 26, 2009 at 4:08 p.m.

bizzybcreations

oh, and Barnie...yea...don't ask.

June 26, 2009 at 4:19 p.m.

EJPcreations

Hi so nice to meet you!

June 26, 2009 at 4:28 p.m.

LoellaMedina

Hi Bernadette, fellow NY Mets fan!

Go Mets!!

June 26, 2009 at 4:58 p.m.

odiliafu

Hi Bernadette, nice to meet you! Your First Communion photo is really cute!!

June 26, 2009 at 5:11 p.m.

weirdwolf

Yay a fellow Queens bred Etsian! So glad you are here.

June 26, 2009 at 5:49 p.m.

lovelygifts

Welcome and good luck!

June 26, 2009 at 6:04 p.m.

breadandroses

Hi Bernadette! I love handknit Irish fisherman's sweaters. Does your mom them sell on Etsy? They look so cozy. Adorable photos, too.

June 26, 2009 at 6:06 p.m.

adam

Bernadette is pretty awesome. The Mets? Meh.

June 26, 2009 at 6:56 p.m.

rntn

nice .......

June 26, 2009 at 7 p.m.

Mimiandlola

Hi Bernadette!

June 26, 2009 at 7:02 p.m.

mybirch

AWE I love the family photos! Nice to meet you Bernadette! I dunno about them Mets *wink*

June 26, 2009 at 7:40 p.m.

SeaFindDesigns

Hi Bernadette!! Anything is better than the Yankees!!
That's right I said it..... Go Boston!

June 26, 2009 at 7:59 p.m.

JoDyer

Welcome!!!

June 26, 2009 at 8:51 p.m.

jiorji

Hi Bernadette :D

June 26, 2009 at 9:22 p.m.

OneEcoTree

ALL about the cookies here! Pleasure, Bernadette!!

June 26, 2009 at 11:20 p.m.

baconsquarefarm

Nice to meet ya Bernadette, enjoyed the pictures especially the one with your mom and you bike as well. Kewl. Yea Mets even tho I'm a Cubbie fan living in Minnesota.

June 27, 2009 at 2:03 a.m.