Patti Bernard and Marcia Bernard Cuccaro had the unique experience of living at the prison during their formative years. Their father became Nevada State Prison Warden 1951-1959, and they have some interesting tales to be told of growing up at the institution and the inmates they interacted closely with.

Marcia Bernard Cuccaro, a 3rd generation native Nevadan attended Carson City schools and graduated from the University of Nevada. She worked as a Social Worker for the Department of Welfare, as a Rehabilitation Counselor for the Nevada Industrial Commission and later as Benefit Deliver Supervisor for the State Industrial Insurance System. She finished her career as Resource Development Manager (grants and services) for the Division for Aging Services. In all these positions, she worked with individuals struggling with a myriad of social issues – unemployment, alcohol, substance abuse, and industrial injuries which then culminated in many of those same individuals needing assistance as they aged out of the employment market and needed housing, food, transportation, medical assistance, etc. Her empathy for these individuals was created when as a young woman she grew up in the Nevada State Prison amongst many convicts

Patti Bernard graduated from the University of Nevada with degrees in education and school administration. In her early years, she taught in both Douglas and Washoe County school districts at both elementary and secondary levels. She then moved into school administration and retired from WCSD as Principal of Libby Booth Elementary School in Reno in 2004. Patti’s love of Nevada history led to her teaching classes in it, and she transitioned that passion after retirement, to engaging in historical research.  She is a past chair of the Nevada Women’s History Project, a statewide women’s history organization that researches and disseminates information about Nevada women, through biographies, oral interviews, and presentations. She now heads the oral history and research committees.