Prior to joining AM-Pharma Bernholz was a Compound Development Team Leader at Janssen R&D LLC in New Jersey, US, leading projects in Cardiovascular and Infectious Diseases. Before her time at Janssen, Bernholz held a number of international leadership roles in big Pharma and Biotech companies. These included Lead for International Partnering in the Diabetes Division at Sanofi where she successfully executed cell therapy and drug discovery collaboration deal. She also served as Senior Global Program Head of the Critical Care Franchise at Novartis Pharma, where she led work on its Rare Disease Cystic Fibrosis projects including registration and launch in the US and earlier as Vice President, Head of Project Management at Actelion where she was instrumental in bringing life changing products to patients with PAH. 

Bernholz holds a PhD in Cell biology from the Biozentrum of the University of Basel, Switzerland and a Board Director Diploma from the International Institute for Management Development (IMD), Lausanne, Switzerland.