April Phillips, DNP, PMHNP-BC, FNP-C

The university welcomed April Phillips to serve as director of the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program, set to launch in 2027. She arrived in 2025 with over 20 years of teaching experience and a career committed to expanding access to behavioral health services in underserved communities.

She earned both her master of science in nursing and doctor of nursing practice degrees from Frontier Nursing University, and her doctoral research focused on the development and implementation of integrated care models that embed mental health services into primary care – an area in which she continues to be recognized as a national and international speaker. She’s also served as medical director of several community-based health centers, leading initiatives to expand integrated care delivery.

As a National Health Service Corps member and ambassador for a decade, April has collaborated with state and national leaders – including members of Congress, the New Mexico legislature, and former Governor Susana Martinez – to strengthen the behavioral health workforce and expand access in rural and underserved areas. She also represented primary care providers on the New Mexico Behavioral Health Coalition, working closely with health policy leaders to address systemic gaps in care.

Beyond her professional work, she enjoys spending time with her family and dog, Cody. She can often be found engaging in all things outdoors, including backcountry snowboarding, wilderness search and rescue, hiking and kayaking. She is a roller derby aficionado and has served as a team medic for several roller derby teams.

Education

• DNP – Frontier Nursing University
• MSN – Frontier Nursing University
• BSN – University of Colorado