NOTE: Throughout the month of July, BrownwoodNews.com is publishing stories daily on 40 standout citizens under the age of 40 making a positive impact and contribution within the Brown County community.

For almost 15 years, April Conway has focused her career on helping children find happy homes through foster care and adoption. Earlier this year, Conway was promoted to Regional Director at Pathways Youth and Family Services, a non-profit social services organization committed to finding, creating, and supporting environments where children and families thrive

“I was promoted in January to Regional Director,” said Conway, who has worked at Pathways for five years. “I oversee the child placing agency side of things which is foster care and adoption. We also have a mental health program and other programs throughout the state. I work with the case managers that oversee the foster homes and the children we have placed and ensure they are being taken care of and are getting all of the support and things that they need.”

Prior to joining Pathways, Conway, 37, worked for two years at Hope for Tomorrow and eight years at DePelchin Children’s Center, formerly known as the Caring Family Network.

Regarding her passion for the profession she has chosen, Conway said, “I have always enjoyed doing mission work and working with the underprivileged population. When I was in college at Lubbock Christian, I actually started out wanting to be a teacher and do home economics type stuff. My senior year my professor put me on an internship at the Texas Boys Ranch and it was there that I just realized that I really enjoyed working with the kids and making them feel like they had a voice and were heard and were getting everything that they needed.”

As for the most rewarding aspects of her career, Conway cited, “being able to see that you’re making a difference.”

She continued, “Some days are really tough, and you think why am I doing this? You can get beat down, especially in today’s climate with child welfare. Those times when a child is able to be successfully reunified with their family, or when you’re able to help a grandparent adopt their grandchild, or a child that was not able to be returned home was able to be adopted by a family that has been struggling to build their family in other ways, you see little traces of how God works in intricate ways. It’s those little things that keep you going in the hard times, and to feel like you serve a purpose and that you’re getting something done in life.”

Away from work, Conway serves on the board of directors for the Early Chamber of Commerce and recently stepped down from the board of directors for the Early Primary PTC after serving for five years.

When it comes to being involved with the community, Conway said, “Early and Brownwood are my home. Other than college I’ve lived here most of my life. I love being able to work with the community and the businesses and see things grow and thrive and just be a little part of bettering the community for everyone. It’s changed a lot in the last 35 years, and I love the new developments and things that are happening.”

Conway has three children at home, all of whom were adopted, and all of whom maintain relationships with their biological relatives.

“They all have biological extended families that are a part of our lives,” Conway said. “Some people see that as difficult and question how you deal with it, but I love it. I love having all these people that pour into the kiddos for birthdays or the summer. When one of their biological grandmas comes and picks them up and takes all of them, even though they aren’t biological siblings, they take them and do something fun.”