Full Name
April Callen
Job Title
Vice President, Racial Equity Programs and Narrative Strategy
Company
Purpose Built Communities
Speaker Bio

April Callen is the Vice President of Racial Equity Programs and Narrative Strategy for Purpose Built Communities, a nonprofit organization dedicated to implementing resident-centered, holistic neighborhood revitalization. In her role, April designs and implements a comprehensive suite of strategies that enable the organization and the Purpose Built Network to advance their mission and goals around racial equity. Prior to joining Purpose Built, April served as a Principal Strategist for the FrameWorks Institute, a Washington, DC-based communications think tank, where she worked closely with national nonprofit organizations focused on education, housing, and health equity. Before that, she held key communications and strategy roles for Chicago-area nonprofits the Chicago Community Trust and Chicago Foundation for Women, among other organizations. April has worked in the space of equity and narrative change for more than a decade, authoring articles examining the intersections of race with education, culture, politics, communications and media, which have been featured in K-12 Dive, Chronicle of Philanthropy, and Education Post. While in Chicago, April was also a longtime on-air contributor to Vocalo Radio, a nonprofit NPR station that blends music, culture, and art. April graduated from Oglethorpe University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Rhetoric Studies and from DePaul University with a Masters in Media, Culture, and Society.

April Callen