Elaine Bernstein

I grew up in Center Moriches, the third of five generations. I graduated from Syracuse University with a B.S. in Education in 1968, taught school in California and at B.O.C.E.S on Long Island, and later found myself in Lawrence, Kansas where I also taught, as well as earned an M.S. in Guidance and Counseling at the University of Kansas. Eventually, I returned home to raise my children, and over the next 29 years, I worked in various areas/levels of regular and special education at Middle Country School District, Centereach, NY. Later, as a single parent, and prior to my two children going to college, I worked a number of summers at the Corn Crib, a business owned by my husband, Bruce Phillips (partner in life, then). By 2000, I sold my third home in Center Moriches and moved to Westhampton. Bruce and I then partnered in building a large home in Westhampton. It was completed in 2002, the year I retired, after being an educator for 32 years. Fortunately, just prior to that, I had passed the licensing exam to become a real estate salesperson, which I began to use about six months after I “retired.” Choosing a real estate firm to hang my license at was an easy decision, since my husband was already an associate broker at Kerrigan Country Realty. We have worked as a team since then, each dedicating our individual skills and talents to provide the best advice and service to our clients and customers, which is what Kerrigan is all about and why we have remained there. In my free time, I remain an active member of Hadassah, participate in the PAC Memory and Melodies Program, take some acting and singing lessons, and love to read, garden and travel.