April Swarey earned her B.A. in English and history from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and her M.A. in English from North Carolina State University. She is a National Board Certified Teacher and is in the process of completing the NC Digital Global Educator's Badge.

In 2021-2022 she was a NC Indigenous Cultures World View Fellow. Although she began her career in newspaper publishing, she currently teaches English at Elkin High School, where she has taught for the past twelve years. She enjoys reading, gardening, beekeeping, and learning about other cultures and people.