Today we’d like to introduce you to April Rogers.
Hi April, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started my story at Texas State University as an Electronic Media major, mostly because I was eager to get my hands on real equipment and tell real stories on day one. Texas State let me do that. I jumped straight into our college radio station, KTSW, as a freshman DJ. Over the next few years I moved all the way up to station manager. That experience taught me how much I love building experiences that connect people, whether through music, storytelling, or community.
After graduation, I was accepted into the NBC Page Program, which felt like a dream. But the reality was ten dollars an hour in New York City, which was intimidating at twenty-two. So I pivoted to something that still let me develop as a producer. My first real job was in court television as an associate producer in Houston, which gave me my first crash course in fast-paced production.
Then everything shifted. I got the opportunity of a lifetime to work for director Robert Rodriguez on Sin City and The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl. That opened the door to a whole new world. Soon after, I took a leap and moved to Los Angeles to assist the producers of a new little show called Laguna Beach that was just starting to shake up reality TV. I thought I would stay for a weekend interview. Instead, I got the job and never came home. My mom literally had to ship me clothes, and then at Christmas we road-tripped my life out to LA.
I spent the next five years working for networks like MTV, CBS, and Style Network. It was thrilling. I learned how to tell stories at scale and how to make creative decisions that move audiences. But Texas was still home. So I moved back and joined the number one anime distributor as their manager of original entertainment. There, I worked on animated films based on Mass Effect and Dragon Age, traveled to EA Games, traveled to Japan, and produced live action projects across the US. It was exciting and creatively fulfilling.
Around that time, I met my husband, and we knew we wanted to start a family. The travel schedule that once felt glamorous wasn’t sustainable anymore. A friend suggested that I look into city government because it offered stability while still leaving space for creativity. That advice changed everything.
The City of Grapevine wasn’t looking for a typical parks and recreation employee, and I wasn’t a typical candidate. But it was the perfect match. I became the event supervisor, eventually an award winning event manager, leading large scale public events that brought families and communities together. When the event workload grew too heavy, I transitioned into the role of marketing manager, where I also won awards. Grapevine is where I learned I could blend creativity, operations, and storytelling to create experiences that feel meaningful.
After a short stop at Texas A&M, I stepped into what truly feels like my dream role as Director of Philanthropic Engagement at Come Near, the organization behind HeGetsUs.com. It is the first time my entire career has come together in one place. I get to use my marketing background, my experience in storytelling, and my event leadership, all while helping people take one step closer to the authentic Jesus. It feels like everything I have ever done prepared me for this work.
My path has never been linear, but every chapter strengthened a different part of who I am today. Production taught me how to craft a story. Marketing taught me how to shape a message. Events taught me how to create environments that move people. And Come Near lets me use all of it for a mission I care deeply about.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, but I don’t think I would have learned half as much if it had been. Working in production and events means living in a world where long hours, tight deadlines, and constant problem solving are just part of the rhythm. Early in my career, I thrived on the adrenaline.
But the reality is that the schedule and pace take a toll, especially as you get older or start thinking about having a family. There were seasons where I was traveling nonstop, living out of suitcases, working sixteen hour days. In production, you often feel like you’re sprinting a marathon. In event work, the intensity ramps up as the date gets closer, and everything has to be perfect because people are trusting you with their moments.
There were also emotional challenges. Moving to Los Angeles with practically no plan and no friends pushed me far outside my comfort zone. Leaving the entertainment industry after years of investing in it was another huge transition. Shifting into government work as a creative person required me to adapt to an entirely new culture. And every time I reinvented myself, there was that fear of starting over, wondering if I could translate my experience into a new space.
And yet, every struggle sharpened me. The long hours built grit. The nonstop problem solving made me a calm, creative decision maker. The career pivots taught me how to embrace change rather than fear it. And the seasons where work took so much of my time are also what gave me clarity about what matters most.
By the time I reached Come Near, I had a deep appreciation for balance, calling, and using my gifts in a way that feels sustainable and meaningful. The road has had its bumps, but each one shaped the leader I am today.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Today, I serve as the Director of Philanthropic Engagement at Come Near, the organization behind HeGetsUs.com. My work sits at the intersection of storytelling, strategy, and relationships. I help create experiences that connect philanthropists and partners to our mission in a way that feels personal, meaningful, and rooted in impact. That includes designing high touch events, shaping communications, crafting investor journeys, and helping bring our message to life through creative storytelling.
Across my whole career, the common thread has been this: I take ideas and turn them into experiences that move people. In TV and film, that meant creating stories that captured attention. In city government, that meant building events and campaigns that brought entire communities together. And now, in philanthropy, it means connecting people to a mission that is changing lives.
I specialize in bringing creativity and operations together. Not everyone loves both, but I do. I thrive in that space where vision meets logistics. I can design the story, craft the moment, shape the message, and also build the timelines, budgets, and systems needed to pull it off. That combination has helped me build a track record of producing meaningful, emotionally resonant experiences at scale.
What I’m most proud of is that I’ve never lost that passion for storytelling that started back at Texas State. I’ve simply learned to use it in new ways. Now my work invites people to take one step closer to the authentic Jesus, which feels like the most meaningful kind of storytelling I could ever be part of.
What sets me apart is the blend of creativity, production experience, event leadership, and a heart for mission. There aren’t many people who have produced for MTV, led award winning city events, built marketing strategies, and now work in philanthropy connecting people to a purpose driven movement. That unique mix lets me see possibilities others might not see and create experiences that resonate on both an emotional and strategic level.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that change isn’t something to fear. Change has actually been the doorway to every major opportunity in my life. Every time I stepped into something unfamiliar, it stretched me, revealed new strengths, and pushed my story forward.
When I left Texas for Los Angeles with practically no plan, it taught me courage. When I walked away from the entertainment industry to build a family life, it taught me clarity. When I moved into city government, it taught me adaptability. And when I stepped into Come Near, it taught me that the places that feel the most unfamiliar are often where you discover your calling.
Change has shown me that you don’t have to have everything figured out to take the next step. You just have to be willing to move. It has also taught me that reinvention is not a setback. It’s a sign of growth. Every chapter equipped me with something I needed for the next one, even when I couldn’t see it at the time.
The other big lesson is that your gifts follow you. No matter the industry, the title, or the environment, the things that make you who you are will always find their way into your work. For me, that has been storytelling, creativity, and creating experiences that bring people together. Those threads have stayed constant even as everything around them changed.
So the lesson for me is simple. Change isn’t bad. It is often the place where purpose begins to take shape.
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