April Williams-Luster

Senior Manager Community Affairs, Discover Financial Services

April S. Williams-Luster has dedicated her professional journey to the field of community engagement, amassing a wealth of experience across various tiers of government, spanning from local to federal levels. At present, she holds the esteemed position of Senior Manager of Community Affairs for Discover Financial Services. In this capacity, she takes the lead in nurturing and fostering relationships with elected officials, business luminaries, nonprofit organizations, and community leaders, fostering an environment of collaboration and engagement.

April's commitment to public service was previously demonstrated as Deputy Chief Engagement Officer at the Chicago Mayor’s Office of Community Engagement. She also served as the Director of Outreach for United States Congresswoman Robin L. Kelly, representing Illinois' 2nd Congressional District. In both positions, she honed her expertise in building and leveraging strategic alliances with community leaders, organizations, nonprofit entities, philanthropic institutions, as well as economic development and business stakeholders. Her objective was to furnish these stakeholders with vital information and resources, thereby fostering collaboration and progress.

Prior to her congressional role, April distinguished herself as the Chief Ethics Investigator and Community Relations Coordinator for the Cook County Department of Human Rights, Ethics, and Women’s Issues. Here, she played a pivotal role as the primary advisor to Cook County officials and vendors, offering guidance on matters related to ethics, pay equity, and workplace violence policies. Notably, April developed comprehensive training programs on ethics, sexual harassment, and workplace violence, conducting over 1,000 seminars, which collectively educated more than 15,000 Cook County employees. She also took the lead in investigating over 150 alleged violations of the Cook County ethics ordinance, authored more than 150 ethics advisory opinions, and meticulously audited over 1,000 campaign contributions and expenditure reports of Cook County officials and candidates seeking elected positions.

April's earlier career involved serving as a legislative aide to notable figures in Chicago's political landscape, including Alderman Howard B. Brookins of the 21st Ward, Cook County Commissioner Robert B. Steele in the 2nd District, and State Representative Marlow H. Colvin, representing the 33rd Rep. District.

In terms of her academic achievements, April possesses a Master of Science degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from Roosevelt University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications and Political Science, earned at the University of Miami.