Dr. April Regester is an associate professor of inclusive education at the University of Missouri–St. Louis (UMSL) and has served as Department Chair of Education Preparation and Leadership since 2021. Her introduction to inclusive education in high school shaped her lifelong commitment to creating learning environments that integrate students of all abilities.

In 2011, she launched the Missouri Peer Supports Project to foster inclusion through social and extracurricular opportunities in high schools. In 2013, she co-founded UMSL Succeed, an inclusive residential postsecondary program for students with intellectual disabilities, leading its expansion and sustainability. Her research focuses on inclusive education, peer support, social skills development, and dignity of risk, resulting in over 35 peer-reviewed publications.

Dr. Regester has secured more than $3 million in external funding, including a 2020 U.S. Department of Education TPSID grant, and has received honors such as the UMSL Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Collaborative Research & Creativity. She serves as Treasurer for the inaugural Board of Directors of the IPSE Association and continues to advance access, equity, and inclusive practices in higher education.