SPANISH FORT, Ala. — Many may know Dianne Bernasconi as the family and consumer sciences teacher at Spanish Fort Middle School. But there’s more to her than cooking and sewing.

Bernasconi grew up in New Orleans and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in clothing and textiles from Louisiana State University. She worked as the fashion director at DH Holmes in Lafayette, La., where she hired and trained runway models. It was there that she met her husband, Mark.

The couple married 25 years ago and moved to Boston, where they lived for more than 20 years.

While in New England, she started Sew Much Fun — a drapery and design business — and she also started Madame Microwave Cooking School where she would teach how to prepare meals right out of the microwave.

She said she was ready to “give up the snow blower and take on a lawn mower” after a client brought her to visit Fairhope. Her dream became a reality in 2004 when her husband was offered an engineering position at Northrop Grumman in Pascagoula, Miss.

She now teaches family and consumer sciences at Spanish Fort Middle School and has worked for Baldwin County public schools for three years.

“I love, love, love my job and our new school,” she said.

“Our family and consumer sciences program is vital to the students,” Bernasconi said. “We teach them the art of wellness: emotional, physical and financial.” 

She has several hobbies such as traveling, entertaining, bicycling, Bunko and running with the Bay Area Runners, a social and running group.

“I have too many hobbies and interests … so many creative ideas and so little time,” she said.  “My energy level is high, so friends and family need to race to keep up with me, or move out of the way.”

She also enjoys to sew and even makes her own clothes.

“I am the queen of family and consumer sciences and family holidays,” she said. “Some call me the ‘domestic diva.’”

Bernasconi and her husband share three children: Danielle, a recent graduate of Harvard University; Nick, a junior at the University of Alabama at Birmingham; and David, a high school junior at the Alabama School of Math and Science.

“My job as a mom is to embarrass them as often as possible,” she said.

The family loves to travel and has been to Europe numerous times. They also have a timeshare in Spain they love to visit.

“Spain is like a second home to us,” she said.

The family adopted a cat, Snedly, four years ago from The Haven as “a consolation prize” for moving across the country from Boston. They also have a terrier-mix dog named Lulu Belle, who was a Mother’s Day gift from the family and was also adopted from The Haven this year.

Bernasconi plans to complete her master’s degree in education in June and apply to become a board certified teacher.