Adena BERNSTEIN

Adena J. Bernstein is an award-winning author, prosecutor, and speaker. Her debut book, Living among the Dead, won the 2022 IAN Book of the Year Award for Outstanding Non-Fiction, the 2020 Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal in Non-Fiction Biography, and First Place at the Royal Dragonfly Book Awards in the Biography/Memoir category. 

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An Educator’s Guide was published in January 2022 and is used worldwide by teachers to support Holocaust education. Living among the Dead has since been translated into Spanish and Polish, expanding its reach to international audiences.

Bernstein is the granddaughter of two Holocaust survivors. Her grandmother’s firsthand accounts of persecution and survival deeply influenced her life and work, inspiring her lifelong dedication to education, justice, and remembrance. She regularly speaks to schools, universities, and community groups about Holocaust history and the importance of truth in history. 

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As a career prosecutor, Bernstein has advocated for society’s most vulnerable. She previously prosecuted cases involving child sexual abuse and domestic violence and now serves as an Assistant Attorney General, handling foreign extradition cases and working on statewide policy initiatives related to fentanyl, public safety, and accountability. 

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Her upcoming book, Stolen Legacies: The Fight for Nazi-Looted Art, set for release on March 10, explores the unresolved legacy of Holocaust-era art theft through legal analysis, investigative history, and personal stories, tracing restitution efforts across multiple countries and legal systems. 

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Bernstein has received recognition for her professional and philanthropic efforts, including an Amazing Woman Award from the Phoenix Suns and the National Bank of Arizona. In 2025, she was honored with the Guardian of Freedom Award for her leadership in fentanyl policy, prevention, and life-saving public safety initiatives. She lives in Arizona with her husband and is the proud mother of three.