Author and Mental Health Advocate April Simpkins Inducted as Honorary Member of Sigma Gamma Rho

Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. has inducted New York Times bestselling author and mental health advocate April Simpkins as an Honorary Member. The sorority announced the induction today, Friday, July 24, 2026, during its 61st Biennial Boule in Tampa, Florida.

April Simpkins is a seasoned human resources executive and workforce strategist who serves as president and CEO of Paragon Strategy Partners and previously worked as a chief human resources officer. Alongside her corporate career, she has become one of the country’s leading voices for mental health awareness.

Her advocacy is deeply personal. Simpkins is the mother of Cheslie Kryst, the attorney and television correspondent who was crowned Miss USA 2019 and who died by suicide in 2022 after living with depression. In the years since, Simpkins has devoted herself to helping people talk about mental illness with honesty and compassion. She and her late daughter co-authored the New York Times bestseller By the Time You Read This: The Space Between Cheslie’s Smile and Mental Illness, which shares Cheslie’s story largely in her own words.

Today Simpkins serves as a National Ambassador for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and is certified in Mental Health First Aid and suicide prevention. She has partnered with the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline to expand awareness of mental health resources and to reach those who may be struggling in silence.

Simpkins was inducted as part of Sigma Gamma Rho’s Honorary Membership Class of 2026, a group of women recognized during the 2026 Boule Honorary Membership Ceremony for achievements spanning sports, entertainment, education, public service, advocacy, entrepreneurship, and global humanitarian work.

The ceremony took place as Sigma Gamma Rho gathered in Tampa, Florida, for its 61st Biennial Boule under International President Marica T. Harris. In announcing the class, Harris said the 2026 honorees “embody the spirit of service, the power of purpose,” carrying forward the sorority’s mission of Greater Service, Greater Progress.

We at Watch The Yard would like to congratulate April Simpkins on her induction as an Honorary Member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.

Share this article with your network to celebrate this new soror of Sigma Gamma Rho.

If you or someone you know is struggling, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 by calling or texting 988.