April Allison, MA, MPH, offers spiritual direction for individuals and groups through Heron Rising. Being contemplative by nature and justice seeking by conviction, her passion is to assist individuals and communities as they grow in right relationship within themselves, with one another, and with the world around them. She is a graduate of the Internship in Spiritual Direction at St. Francis Retreat Center in DeWitt, Michigan, and and is trained in mediation through the Dispute Resolution Center of Washtenaw County, Michigan.

For 12 years April was on the staff of The Leaven Center, a retreat and study center in Michigan that sought to nurture the relationship between spirituality and social justice. She is a Quaker (Religious Society of Friends) who has traveled in the ministry through the Friends General Conference and now leads contemplative retreats through the School of the Spirit. For several years, April was president of the Spiritual Directors Network of Mid-Michigan, prior to her 2023 move to Durham, North Carolina.

She is now on the Board of Peace Hill at Avila in Durham, North Carolina, which seeks to teach and nurture contemplative and restorative practices that strengthen, enhance, and deepen the work to build a compassionate and just society.

Heron Rising was born in early 2008, when April Allison and Melanie Morrison offered spiritual direction and personal retreats at their Guest House in rural Ionia County. The guest house was closed in early 2012, when the property was sold to a wonderful family who would honor and love that sacred space. Now located in Durham, N.C., April is continuing the Heron Rising ministry of spiritual direction.