Years
17+
Deep sector expertise across public health, civic, and nonprofit communications.
Programs
300+
Full-scale department support delivering high-impact public health outcomes.
Award
$50K
Led award-winning visual plans securing first place in NLC innovation cohorts.
Departments
17
Directed city-wide digital policy, social strategy, and executive leadership training.
UCM Alumni Foundation “10 Under 40” Honoree, 2026
Selected Work
Mental Health Hub Launch
Behavioral health resource rollout connecting Kansas City residents to free, confidential mental health and recovery support tools.
Role: Developed plain-language messaging, web copy direction, social rollout strategy, resource descriptions, and cross-channel asset needs for ePrevention, Connections App, Companion App, and CredibleMind.
Outcome: 15 media mentions; 14M+ estimated audience; $248K estimated publicity value; 5,768 cross-platform social views; 9,380 CredibleMind users since broader rollout.
Relevance: Shows ability to communicate sensitive public health resources clearly, accessibly, and responsibly.
Fountain Card Campaign
Public-service launch communications for Kansas City’s Fountain Card, a municipal ID/access program helping residents connect to City services, documentation support, and practical benefits.
Role: Supported executive messaging, press event planning, run-of-show support, video scripting, flyer and FAQ copywriting, Spanish-language asset coordination, Working Advantage promotion, and community-partner outreach.
Outcome: 55,923 lifetime views; 36,860 users; approximately 11,000 individuals served; 1,352 cards issued using shelter or agency addresses; 403 birth certificate uses in 2025.
Relevance: Demonstrates civic access communications, multilingual public information, community trust, and measurable resident impact.
Home Resource Network / NLC Award
Cross-departmental housing and public health storytelling supporting Kansas City’s Home Resource Network and Healthy Housing Innovation Cohort work.
Role: Developed communications strategy, presentation storytelling, creative brief development, script support, and visual narrative development for a public-private housing resource initiative.
Outcome: Helped support a first-place National League of Cities innovation cohort win for Kansas City, leading to a $50,000 award connected to housing referral and resident service delivery.
Relevance: Shows ability to translate complex civic systems into clear, fundable, award-winning public impact stories.
Health Emergency & Risk Communications
Rapid public health communications for infectious disease updates, emergency preparedness, misinformation prevention, and urgent resident information needs.
Role: Authored and coordinated press releases, leadership talking points, web/social assets, media responses, public advisories, and multi-platform messaging for measles, hantavirus, mpox, flu, and related public health issues.
Outcomes: Key social media engagement data include:
61,283 Facebook impressions for measles alerts
77,593 Instagram interactions regarding hantavirus bulletins
63,375 Facebook engagements for hantavirus updates
14M+ worldwide reach for mpox disclosures, as verified by Critical Mention
Relevance: Shows ability to communicate swiftly and strategically during high-stakes health moments without creating unnecessary fear.
Additional Selected Work
A broader sample of public health, civic access, emergency preparedness, event promotion, and digital strategy work.
Maternal Health + Equity
KC Doula Services Expansion
Maternal health communications campaign expanding public awareness of free doula services in Kansas City.
Led news release, social copy, bilingual coordination, web/calendar distribution, Neighborhood Direct, and reel scripting.
Proof: Selected campaign proof included 41 documented subtasks, a 10-post multi-platform campaign, Spanish-language rollout, one earned-media mention, 17.36M estimated audience, and about $160.6K estimated publicity value.
COMMUNITY HEALTH EVENTS
Health on the Block
Flagship community event communications supporting expanded attendance and public visibility.
Led marketing and media coordination, including flyer, graphics, promo video, social media, MailChimp, news release, MyKC, and Eventbrite support.
Proof: Attendance increased from approximately 600 to 850 attendees, roughly a 42% increase supported by expanded outreach.
PUBLIC HEALTH PLANNING
CHIP 2026–2029 Launch
Strategic communications rollout for Kansas City’s Community Health Improvement Plan.
Managed news release, web updates, MailChimp publication, social media, shortlink, and cross-platform distribution.
Proof: 16+ documented campaign tasks, a full web/email/social rollout, 4 precise web updates, and a published CHIP article directing residents to kcmo.gov/CHIP.
EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS
HUD Lead Hazard Reduction Grant Event
Executive communications and event support for a $6.4M federal grant check presentation.
Role: Developed media advisory, run of show, creative requests, photography/video coordination, post-event social distribution, and metrics reporting.
Proof: Supported federal partner event coordination, earned media, social/video promotion, and public awareness of lead hazard reduction funding.
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
Match Ready KC / CPR Campaign
Community safety campaign promoting free CPR and emergency preparedness events across Kansas City.
Role: Developed campaign copy, pitched TV and radio, created calendar events, wrote web copy, and coordinated influencer/video support.
Proof: Selected campaign metrics included:
-
80,777 Facebook/Meta Reel views
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67,999 impressions
-
743 interactions
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media mentions
-
64.6K estimated TV audience and about $9.96K estimated publicity value.
CIVIC ACCESS
Pop-Up Pantry Communications
Public-facing communications supporting a monthly free food pantry and resource fair.
Role: Promoted pantry access across social media, Neighborhood Direct, and recurring Facebook event listings.
Proof: 52 recurring Facebook event listings and multi-platform posts documented.
Digital, Social Media & Web Leadership
Building public-sector digital systems that make government more accessible, responsive, and trusted.
DEPARTMENTS
17 Supported
Strategic professionalization of city-wide social media and brand governance.
IDENTITY
@KansasCity
Secured unified digital handle across TikTok, Threads, and X platforms.
GROWTH
+343% IG
Explosive engagement growth including 120k+ followers on Twitter/X.
IMPACT
49K Reached
1,620+ rental assistance clicks and 156+ Facebook event listings.
Core Capabilities
April Leonard helps organizations communicate clearly during complex, high-visibility moments across public health, government, media, social, crisis, and launch environments.
Strategic Marketing & Communications
Crisis & Risk Communications
Integrated communications strategy, campaign planning, brand storytelling, audience engagement, message development and cross-channel communications.
Rapid-response messaging, emergency communications, reputation-sensitive communications, misinformation response, message development and high-stakes public information.
Public Information & Public Trust
Digital, Social & Web Strategy
Public-facing communications, public health messaging, community engagement, plain-language information and strategies that strengthen understanding, credibility and trust.
Digital communications leadership, social media strategy, web content, audience growth, analytics, platform governance and multi-channel campaigns.
Media Relations & Executive Messaging
Events, Launches & Visibility
Media strategy, press materials, spokesperson support, executive talking points, speeches, presentations, interview preparation and leadership communications.
Launch communications, media rooms, red-carpet and experiential communications, event publicity, talent and media coordination, live-event communications and high-visibility brand moments.
Creative & Experiential Range
April’s communications career also includes deep roots in television, fashion, entertainment, publicity, and live-event communications. That experience continues to shape her approach to brand storytelling, visual communications, media experiences, creative collaboration, and high-visibility moments.
Fashion + Entertainment PR
Communications, publicity, brand storytelling, media relations, campaign support, and audience engagement.
Media Rooms + Red Carpets
Press operations, media flow, talent coordination, event publicity, media materials, and branded media experiences.
Production + Creative Direction
Television and media experience, live production, creative briefs, visual storytelling, and collaboration with creative and production teams.
Speaking & Training
April Leonard, MA, speaks and trains on strategic communications, public trust, government social media, accessibility, crisis/risk messaging, brand protection, media relations, high-visibility events, and wellness-centered communications leadership.
- Public health communications and public trust
- Government social media, accessibility, and digital service
- Crisis/risk messaging and brand protection
- Media relations, major events, and communicator wellness
Collaborated on platforms and engagements across national, regional, and international speaking circuits. Insights and training modules have been shared across a diverse array of professional landscapes, including public affairs summits, government social media conferences, and international media exchange programs facilitated by the U.S. Department of State.
Recognition & Credentials
University of Central Missouri Alumni Foundation “10 Under 40” Honoree, 2026
Recognized through UCM’s alumni recognition program celebrating young alumni achievement, leadership, service, and professional impact.
Award-Winning Public Impact Storytelling
Communications and presentation storytelling support connected to Kansas City’s National League of Cities Healthy Housing Innovation Cohort first-place recognition and $50,000 award.
National & International Speaker / Trainer
Selected to speak and train through platforms including Government Social Media Conference / GSMCON, Ragan Communications / PR Daily, Social Media Strategies Summit, RAPIO, and Global Ties / U.S. Embassy / U.S. Department of State international media professional exchange audiences.
Digital Communications Credentials
Hootsuite certifications and training in platform tools, social marketing, and enterprise social media strategy.