HERizon Digital Event Guide - Flipbook - Page 20
APRIL SIMPKINS
PANEL 3 · PIVOTING WITH PURPOSE
Content Pillars · Reinvention, Identity Shifts, High-Level Decision Making
April Simpkins, SHRM-CP, PHR, is an internationally recognized keynote speaker, leadership
strategist, and mental health advocate with more than three decades of executive-level human
resources experience. She is the Founder and CEO of Paragon Strategy Partners. This leadership
development consultancy equips new and emerging leaders with practical, people-centered
strategies to lead effectively in today’s evolving workplace.
April spent 18 years building and leading a highly successful HR consulting firm serving small-to
mid-sized businesses across more than 15 industries. Her work supported more than 1,000
organizations through critical people challenges, including leadership development, culture,
engagement, and organizational growth. After successfully selling her firm, April shifted her
focus to speaking, advisory work, and leadership education—bringing real-world insight,
credibility, and candor to every stage she steps on.
A sought-after keynote speaker, April has delivered impactful talks for Fortune 500 companies,
national conferences, and academic institutions, including Ivy League universities. Her speaking
style blends strategic insight, lived experience, and relatable humor—challenging leaders to
rethink people, culture, and mental health at work.
Beyond consulting and speaking, April is a passionate mental health advocate. Following the loss
of her daughter, Cheslie Kryst, in 2022, she deepened her commitment to eliminating stigma and
advancing mental wellness. April serves as an Ambassador and local board member for the
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and is the Founder of the Cheslie C. Kryst Foundation,
which supports mental wellness through creative expression. She is also the co-author of the New
York Times bestselling book By the Time You Read This and the host of the podcast As I Was
Saying, where she explores the intersection of work, leadership, and mental health with honesty
and heart.
HerIZON
GREAETER CHARLOTTE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION · WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP 2026
