Speakers

assie Fernandez is the executive director for Habitat for Humanity Golden Empire. She is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Bakersfield-based nonprofit affiliate and works closely with the organization’s local board of directors.

Fernandez assumed the lead executive position of the Habitat affiliate in May 2019. She came to Habitat with a wealth of experience and background in the nonprofit arena — most recently as director of the Sherriff’s Activities League at the Kern County Sheriff’s Department, a program dedicated to helping improve the lives of children in underserved areas. She also has mortgage-lending expertise and experience in mental health recovery services.

A civic-minded community member, Fernandez has been honored with several awards, including the 2016 “Woman of the Year” by the Lamont Chamber of Commerce.

Fernandez says her life and career have always been guided by faith and seeking to put God’s love into action… and that faith folds perfectly into Habitat’s mission of building homes, communities and hope. She adds: “God is our center, not our border.”

A wife and mother of four children, she is married to a deputy in the Kern County Sheriff’s Department; she met her husband when the two worked together as deputies. As if four children aren’t enough to keep the couple busy, they also have three dogs and a cat. (Fun fact: As a sheriff’s deputy, Fernandez rescued and rehomed 8 kittens in one year.)

When she’s not busy with her children’s sports activities, Fernandez enjoys gardening, thrift and estate-sale shopping, as well as photography. She is also an advocate for children with special needs

Has served as Manager, Aggregates & Projects at GQMC, LLC since Fall 2018.

Formerly a self-employed, Construction Project Manager and “Lean” Business Processes Consultant.

Led all civil development projects at GQMC from summer 2012 until becoming a GQMC employee in Fall 2018

30+ years of Project Management, Operations Management, Engineering, and Process Improvement Consulting experience spanning multiple industries across the U.S.

Major Employers & Customers Served: Republic Services, Berry Petroleum Corp., Chevron Technology Ventures, BrightSource Energy, Inc., Argo Consulting Inc., Dana Inc., Hagemeyer NA, Masco Corp., General Motors Service & Parts Operations, Telamon Corp., Hillenbrand Industries Inc., Ingersoll-Rand Corp, Cummins-Allison Corp., U.S. Army Reserves - Corps of Engineers

B.S. - Industrial Engineering Technology, Western Illinois University 

Andrae was elected to Bakersfield City Council in November 2016. Prior to his service on the City Council, he served as a trustee on the Bakersfield City School Board for six years. He currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of a non-profit organization that helps seniors and disabled citizens manage their incomes. 

Andrae is driven by his deep commitment to serving his community.  As a member of the Bakersfield City School District Board of Education, Andrae improved the performance and safety of our neighborhood schools and worked to get the best value for our tax dollars. He helped found a faith-based non-profit that works to improve the quality of life for families in need. In 2013, he founded Children First Campaign to keep kids off the street and focused on school.

Andrae’s leadership success has been recognized both locally and nationally. In August 2010, Bakersfield Life Magazine named him one of '10 people to watch' in Bakersfield. Andrae was also voted the Keep Bakersfield Beautiful Great American Cleanup Volunteer of the Year for 2016.

Andrae is a graduate of East Bakersfield High School and the University of California, Berkeley.