April Johnson-Spence is a 17-year resident of Hernando County.  Along with her husband Trevor, she is raising their four children to love God and their community. April was raised in New Port Richey and graduated from River Ridge High School with honors. She entered the work force at the young age of 14 working for a local movie store. A conservative view of finances allowed her to buy her first home at age 18 with her high school sweetheart. She went on to marry him and they had a son named Scott Jr. and opened a business in the construction field. As the owners of a successful stucco company they served many home builders in the Tampa Bay area. April was in charge of all of the administration duties behind the scene to include accounts receivables/ payables, payroll, and overall business administration. She has a vast knowledge of budgeting and value engineering to keep costs low. 

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After making plans to grow their family they decided to relocate to Hernando County where they welcomed their daughter Alyssa. Less than five years after moving to Hernando County April lost her husband to a sudden heart attack. Being a widow at the young age of 29 was a life changing moment in April and her children's lives. She had to find a way to keep their standard of living unchanged and become the sole provider for her family.  With a knack for design and sales she continued working in the construction field as a kitchen and bath designer. April was tasked with all parts of the sale to include, sales, design, budgeting, supervising delivery and installation, and customer service. This experience also allowed her to be active in the community in networking and volunteering. It was an organic way to build relationships and advocate for a community she loved. The idea of helping customers take a space they didn't like and make it into a space they could be proud of was very full filling however, something was missing.  

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The birth of April's youngest son Logan and the unfortunate sudden passing of her mother gave April a new direction and she decided to further her education and received an AS in Human Services from Pasco Hernando State College.  She pursued her newfound passion and entered the workforce as an advocate at the local Domestic and Sexual Violence Center. Working directly with survivors gave her an appreciation for the importance of improving public policy and guiding social change. April moved into the position of Community Awareness Advocate and begun her community organizing efforts to work with businesses, non-profits, and government agencies to make Hernando County safer for survivors. In her work at the Dawn Center, April was very involved in budgeting, grant writing, fund development, community connections, and more. 

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She served on the board of many non-profits and community action groups and organized local fund-raising efforts to help the community. PHSC gave April an opportunity to further her education even more and she was able to graduate with her BS in Business Management with a focus in Public Safety/ Emergency Management. April's passion has always been at the macro level and this degree allowed her to work with the human services field and government to make social change thru policy and collaborative programs. A passion for local politics has led April to become a member of the Local Hernando County Republican party for the last 6 years where she has helped many local candidates with elections. Working to fundraise, create awareness, and advocate for local issues has been a top priority for April. After almost 6 years at the Dawn Center April changed direction and began to work for the local non-profit blood center- LifeSouth. She continues her efforts to connect the community to services and save lives as the District Community Development Coordinator.

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April has held leadership roles and managed budgets in many local organizations to include being the immediate past president and current board member of the Brooksville Rotary Club, Membership Chair and alumni of Leadership Hernando class 2016 of the Greater Hernando Chamber of Commerce, member of the Republican Executive Committee and First Hernando Republican Club, Chairman of the Hernando County Community Alliance, member of the Public Safety Coordinating Council, Chair of the Domestic and Sexual Violence Task Force, member of the Business and Professional Women’s group, and member of the 100 Women Who Care philanthropic group. April has been instrumental in bringing programs to the county such as Behavioral Health/ Mental Health Resource Guide, over 1 million dollars in funding for diversion programs in youth criminal justice programs, revitalization projects for Kass Circle and Anderson Snow Park, and most recently securing $100k funding to build a public splash park at Anderson Snow Park.  She has served Hernando County in many capacities both professionally and personally. April has worked to bring in and manage over $2 million dollars in funding into Hernando County for various community needs. 

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The importance of family is apparent with the amount of love surrounding her home.  April's aging father Gerard lives with her family and provides a great deal of laughter and wisdom to them. Three generations living under the same roof provides a lot of discussion and mentorship that is helping to mold the children into amazing people.  Their family volunteers in the community and enjoys living, playing, and working in Hernando County. 

April has always been a smiling face to strangers, and ear to those who need it, a voice for those without, and a strong presence in the community. A focus on good communication, collaboration, and keeping our community healthy has always been at the forefront of her daily living. April will work full time as your County Commissioner representing District 2 to serve the people of Hernando County. She will bring a boot on the ground approach to public service. Working with the existing administration and staff to listen, support, and help where needed. She is a natural problem solver and out of the box thinker that has a way of bringing people together.  Combine those talents with her vast skill set to get an idea of how she will govern and represent the community with every decision made. April is a fiscal conservative and socially responsible leader. She supports law enforcement and first responders and as a member of the National Rifle Association and the Coastal Conservation Association, April stands up for our constitutional freedoms and preserving our natural resources. There is no doubt that April Johnson-Spence is your most authentic, dedicated, and knowledgeable choice to represent you for Hernando County District 2 County Commissioner. 

 

 

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