About April

Hey There!

Welcome to my website! I hope you find this a safe place to land. My life’s work so far (I am only 46 years old, after all) has focused on learning how we become “functional” adults by studying childhood; the magic of childhood was never lost to me, and I am passionate about helping other adults find it again. You probably got here because you were searching for answers to help yourself, either as a caregiver or an educator, or to figure out how to help a child in your care. My friend, you came to the right place. I don’t pretend to know it all, but I have done some work, and I am here to share it with those who could use a little help. But to do this work requires trust and connection - so why should you trust me?

I was born in Edmonton, Alberta, and continue to call this beautiful city home. I was raised in St Albert and continue to spend time there with my family. Growing up, I always knew I would be a teacher, and in 2006, I graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor's in Elementary Education. (Prior to this, I worked as an Educational Assistant for 5 years across all grades and in many schools.)

I worked as a teacher for 10 years with the Connect Society, a program in Edmonton dedicated to supporting people affected by hearing loss. It was here that I began my professional learning journey, earning certifications in a variety of areas related to learning and development. Connect Society gave me the gift of working with families and children who had exceptional needs stretching beyond hearing loss.

When it was time for a change, I travelled to London, England, to teach, but was promptly fired for criticising the techniques used there. You see, I am a fierce advocate for children and refuse to remain silent when I see things that make me go “hmmm”. So I left there and returned home to start a new journey with Aboriginal Head Start.

I am now in my 8th year working with Aboriginal Head Start, first as their Inclusive Education Coordinator and now as a consultant for the Program Unit Funding (PUF) part of the program. Thanks to the guidance of my Elder, I decided to pursue further knowledge and completed a Master’s in Counselling Psychology with Distinction from Yorkville University. This set my path towards helping children and families in a new way as a Canadian Certified Counsellor. With this designation, I found myself working with Alliance Counselling and Assessment, providing mental health support to children in foster care across northern Alberta. I also completed some work with a variety of agencies as a behaviour consultant.

Being that the world is full of wonder and knowledge, I felt I needed to do more. This led me to work with the Alberta Professional Learning Consortium as a Designer of Professional Learning, specializing in early learning, inclusion, mental health, and leadership. Helping educators never ceases to fill me up!

Most recently, I graduated from the NAPA Infant-Parent Mental Health Fellowship at the University of California, Davis. With this latest addition to my knowledge bank, I can further assist caregivers with their relationship with children from birth to 5 years old.

When I am not working, I love spending time with my dogs, Holly and Caddy. We compete in sheep herding and love to do anything outdoors. I continue to be involved in the rugby community, serving as the Secretary for the Edmonton Rugby Union, and can be found on the sidelines during the summer (go Clanswomen!). I enjoy travelling and am working on completing a travel list inspired by my great-grandmother’s adventures. I am currently playing a faerie named Sohlae with my Dungeons and Dragons group.

If I sound like someone who could help you or a person you love, please reach out. If I can’t help, I might know someone who can.

I hope to meet you soon!

Kindly,

April