April James- Smith

April James-Smith is an accomplished education professional with extensive experience in early childhood education and program management. Currently serving as Executive Director at the University of Southern California since October 2020, April has previously held leadership roles, including Director of Early Education at Cross Country Education and Associate Director of Program Services at Plaza de la Raza Child Development Services, Inc. Prior to that, April worked as Early Childhood Education Manager at Crystal Stairs, Inc., and Education Services Manager at the Community Development Institute. Academic achievements include a bachelor's degree in Social Sciences from Chapman University, a Master of Public Administration from UMass Global, and a Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership, also from UMass Global.