April Mertens
April Mertens serves as the Manager of the Board of Nursing Home Administrators for the State of Missouri within the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. In this leadership role, she oversees regulatory operations related to the licensing and oversight of nursing home administrators, helping ensure that professionals meet state requirements and that long-term care facilities operate in compliance with established healthcare standards. Her work directly supports the state’s mission of promoting safe, ethical, and effective leadership in elder care settings.
With a career spanning more than a decade in Missouri state government, she has progressed through multiple roles in healthcare administration, including Health Program Representative, Assistant Bureau Chief, and Privacy Specialist. This experience has given her a strong foundation in regulatory compliance, policy implementation, licensing systems, and program management. Prior to her work in state service, she also gained experience in insurance and daycare ownership, which strengthened her understanding of service delivery, accountability, and working with diverse populations.
April earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Management/Human Resources from Columbia College while balancing professional responsibilities and raising her family. Her journey reflects resilience, lifelong learning, and dedication to personal growth alongside career advancement. She has received recognition including “Who’s Who” honors in 2024 and 2025 and Employee of the Month in 2019. She is known for her commitment to integrity, collaboration, and strengthening the quality of long-term care administration in Missouri.
• Honored Listee-Marquis Who's Who
• The Missouri Way Training Series - Lead Change
• Compassionate Leadership
• A Manager's Guide to Conducting Effective One-on-One Meetings
• Initiating Change as a Leader
• Preparing for Successful Communication
• Communicating to Drive People to Take Action
• Communicating with Charisma
• Critical Thinking for More Effective Communication
• Tips for Leading Yourself
• Preparing Yourself for Change
• Digital Accessibility for the Modern Workplace
• SharePoint Online Essential Training: The Basics
• The Missouri Way Graduate
• +Additional Certifications
• Columbia College - B.S.
• Employee of the Month honors in January 2019
• Board of Nursing Home Administrators
• JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation)
What do you attribute your success to?
Throughout my career, mentorship has played a defining role in my success. I’ve been fortunate to learn from leaders who not only guided me professionally, but helped shape my confidence and perspective. Les Jobe encouraged me to believe in my own potential during my college years and pushed me to think beyond immediate limitations. John Langston taught me the value of long-term vision and goal setting, while Bill Koble helped open the door to the position that ultimately aligned with my strengths and career path. I had briefly went into the private sector for seven months and decided that it was no longer a good fit and picked up the phone and called Bill Coble and I told him if there was anything that would work for me to please let me know and he stated there was actually a position where they were closing out that day and to go ahead and submit my resume and the next thing I knew I was hired back and I say that he played a major role in my obtaining the position. Their support reminds me how impactful it can be when someone sees possibilities in you before you fully see them yourself.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I’ve always believed relationships matter. Networking is not simply about professional advancement — it’s about building genuine connections, learning from others, and creating a support system that strengthens both personal and professional growth. My advice to anyone beginning their career is to seek mentors, ask questions, and never underestimate the value of surrounding yourself with people who challenge and encourage you.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Like many professionals working within state systems and healthcare-related industries, one of the ongoing challenges I navigate is adapting to political and organizational change. With new leadership and evolving policies in Missouri, flexibility and professionalism are essential. Our state had a governor in place for the past eight years and now there is new governor in position and this has made many changes which of course effects ensuring the safety of health care. The healthcare field is constantly shifting, and success often depends on the ability to remain steady and solution-focused during periods of transition.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
At the center of everything I do are the values I was raised with: hard work, honesty, and integrity. I believe accountability matters. When mistakes happen, owning them and learning from them is far more valuable than avoiding responsibility. Those principles have guided me through every stage of my career and continue to influence how I lead today. I love bird watching and anything outdoors which always helps me relax and reset.