April Simpkins is a dynamic HR leader with over 30 years of experience in executive business strategy and multiple HR certifications. After eighteen years, April successfully sold her consulting practice to focus on her career as a professional speaker. Recognized for her expertise, she is a sought-after international keynote speaker who has spoken at many conferences, including Fortune 500 corporate events, and on the campuses of several Ivy League universities.

April's leadership extends beyond her professional duties. She has served as the Board Chair for the York County Regional Chamber and is an active member of the South Carolina Small Business Development Center (SCSBDC) board. She is on the Duke Energy Advisory Board in the Upstate of South Carolina and was appointed by the Governor of South Carolina to the York County Natural Gas Board of Directors.

April is a passionate mental health advocate, serving as an Ambassador for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and a board member of NAMI Piedmont Tri-County. Her dedication to eliminating the stigma around mental illness is deeply personal and meaningful. After losing her daughter, Cheslie Kryst, to suicide in 2022, April has become an even more vocal supporter. Cheslie, who struggled with depression, co-authored the New York Times Bestseller called "By The Time You Read This – The Space Between Cheslie's Smile And Mental Illness - Her Story In Her Own Words" with April. To honor Cheslie's legacy, April founded the Cheslie C. Kryst Foundation.

She is also the host of the podcast As I Was Saying, in which she explores the intersection of professional life and mental health with candor, insight, and compassion.

(00:02:03-00:11:57) – The process of becoming an author and the completion of her book outlining her daughter’s life.

(00:11:58-00:28:07) – What April learned about herself and Cheslie while writing the book and in the immediate aftermath of her passing, as well as some of the biggest misconceptions surrounding suicide and mental health.

(00:28:08-00:35:15) – How she approaches her speaking engagements, what she shares with families and individuals depending on the specific cases.

(00:37:00-00:43:15) – How she balances telling Cheslie’s story while still healing and protecting her privacy.

(00:43:17-00:46:39) – What skillsets she transferred into her speaking, podcasting, book publishing and advocacy from her experience and time as an HR consultant and businesswoman.

(00:46:41-00:57:17) – Her partnership with NAMI.

(00:57:18-00:59:57) – The legacy her book and Cheslie’s story will hopefully leave.

(00:58:58) – The stuff that matters.

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