Hope Starts With Us: Moving Forward After Loss

We hope this podcast encourages you, inspires you, helps you and brings you further into the collective to know: you are not alone.

Episodes will air every other Wednesday and will be available on most major directories and apps.

April Simpkins

Follow on Instagram: @AprilS_HR

April is a mental health advocate and an Ambassador for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Her commitment to breaking the stigma of mental illness resulted in her earning certifications in Mental Health First Aid and Emotional-CPR. She has also completed QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) suicide prevention training. April co-authored a New York Times Bestseller titled “By The Time You Read This – The Space Between Cheslie’s Smile and Mental Illness- Her Story In Her Own Words.” This book is co-authored by Cheslie Kryst, April’s daughter.

April is also a multi-certified HR Professional with 30+ years of executive-level Human Resources experience. She is currently the Chief Human Resources Officer at a fast-growing national company. April’s knowledge and expertise, coupled with her continued study of Human Resources trends, have made her a trusted advisor for many in the business community. An international speaker, April shares her knowledge and expertise on leadership, culture, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). She has presented at large business conferences and universities, including Harvard University Extension School, The Citadel, and the University of South Carolina, to name a few.

April has received many awards and honors for her business acumen. In 2020, she received the Women In Business Achievement Award from the Charlotte Business Journal and was named one of Charlotte’s 50 Most Influential Women by Mecklenburg Times.

Daniel H. Gillison, Jr.

Social: @DanGillison

Dan Gillison brings expertise in non-profit leadership and a passion for advocating for people with mental illness to NAMI. Before coming to NAMI, Dan led the American Psychiatric Association Foundation (APAF), where he was responsible for strategic planning, personnel management, board communications, oversight of APAF’s public education programs and outreach, and formulating strategic alliances and partnerships to further APAF’s mission. Prior to APAF, Gillison led County Solutions and Innovation for the National Association of Counties, where he was instrumental in repositioning the organization’s programs to provide expertise in health and human services, justice, and public safety.

Dan has more than 30 years of experience and has previously held leadership positions at Xerox, Nextel, and Sprint. Dan holds a B.A. from Southern University and A&M College. Dan spearheaded the creation of the CEO Alliance for Mental Health in 2020, which represents some of the most vulnerable and diverse populations affected by disparities in the mental health care system. The leadership collective has collaborated to identify and amplify their priorities for creating a future of quality mental health care for all who need it. Dan serves on lululemon’s Mental Wellbeing Global Advisory Board.