April fell in love with travel at 15, when she participated in a student exchange program in France. Living with a host family and navigating a new culture showed her that the world is much bigger than the routines we get mired in. A sunset moment on the second level of the Eiffel Tower sealed it. She was hooked. She learned that sometimes you need to be a stranger in a strange land to truly find yourself.
Since then, travel has been how April marks life milestones. She backpacked internationally after college and grad school, has visited nearly 20 countries and 48 U.S. states, and later became the go-to family travel planner. That meant years of Disney World trips, domestic vacations with extended family, and a standing tradition of taking each child to Las Vegas for their 21st birthday. Now she’s back to globetrotting in her third act of life. Woo! 😊
Expertise
Taking complicated concepts and making them easy to understand; empowering people to live their dreams; geeking out with the data.
Education
B.A., French
M.S., Sociology
April has also taught at several universities, including Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business, Stanford University, and Otterbein University.
What is your favorite country or travel experience?
I don’t have a favorite-favorite. For me, travel is about sharing extraordinary moments with people I love. Most recently, I talked my best friend into her first vacation ever. (We are both over 50 and widowed; how had she NEVER been on a vacation?!?) I took her to an all-inclusive resort in the Bahamas, one of my go-to getaways. Seeing it through her eyes was pure joy. Favorite quotes included: “Ooooh, the water is salty!” and “Ooooh, this drink is STRONG!”
Do you have a favorite travel hack you’ve used?
I am brand new to the world of points and miles. Before that, my go-to move was setting multiple price alerts and jumping on great cash deals. My favorite is when it’s a full vacation package and I can take care of everything with one click and one credit card!
