April-Louise is a firm believer in the importance of “lifting as you climb” and she has consistently demonstrated this with her active and passionate participation in leading, organising and supporting a range of events and activities aimed at empowering and inspiring others, alongside developing her academic career.
Driven by her desire for social justice, especially within the education system, she has personally used education as a tool for herself to open her own mind to the possibilities of change, to build effective relationships with a diverse range of people at all levels, and to utilise every opportunity to develop herself both professionally and personally.
After 20+ years in the education system (from primary school until PhD level) she truly has faith in the transformative power of education and hopes that everyone will have the chance to be able to enjoy and thrive within the education system. This has translated into her own research and extra-curricular activities, where she contributes to enriching the educational experiences and journeys of others; working tirelessly to create inclusive, diverse and supportive environments for all.
After gaining First class honours at the end of her undergraduate studies at the University of Kent, April-Louise was awarded the prestigious Economic and Social Research Council Studentship to complete both her Masters and PhD studies at the University of Birmingham. She is currently in the final year of her PhD where she explores the ways in which 25 recent Black British female graduates have navigated, strategised and engaged with/in the English education system, identifying the barriers which may have hindered their progress and recommending ways to counter these. Alongside this, she is alsothe Westmere Scholar for the College of Social Sciences at her University where she organises PhD researcher development and community building activities and events.