April Anderson Pettitt ('00 BA, Journalism)

Tell us about yourself!
I was born in Louisiana but grew up on the border of Grand Prairie and went to Arlington schools. I went to Bowie High School the first year it was open. I married my high school sweetheart, Chris, who attended South Grand Prairie High School. We have one daughter, Cassidee, and live in Arlington. We also have two fur babies we adopted from Arlington Animal Services named Happy and Flannel.

Why did you choose to attend UTA?
I wanted a quality and affordable education close to home. 

What did you study at UTA? What attracted you to that field?
I studied communications. I have enjoyed writing since early elementary school, so it was a natural fit. I’m interested in how people receive information. I included lots of business classes because I knew they would be beneficial out in the corporate world.  

Describe your UTA experience. How did UTA help prepare you for your career?
My UTA experience shaped who I am now. I joined several student organizations and enjoyed getting to learn and grow in leadership roles. It was extremely rewarding to make friends through the Greek system, EXCEL Campus Activities, Student Congress, and more. It made a large campus feel like a close-knit community. It was always fun to see friendly faces you knew everywhere you went on campus. This prepared me for my current position by not being afraid to put myself out there at meetings, in committees within my company, for leadership roles and for getting to know people in other departments. Everyone has something to offer if you take the time to get to know them.

What is your current professional position? What do you do in that role?
I currently lead a team of account managers at a large pharmacy benefit management company. We work directly with a large health plan client. The team triages potential coding issues and member inquiries from across the United States. I help connect my account managers to other people and resources within our large company that can help them solve an issue and answer questions. I also help work escalations. I get leaders from other areas of the company together on calls to talk through complex problems and bring resolution in a timely manner. I’m a daily cheerleader and morale booster for the team. I like to make sure my employees are having fun throughout the day since our work is often very stressful. I make sure they are taking their hard-earned PTO so that they don’t get burnt out and have a healthy work/life balance. Overall, my daily job involves building and maintaining relationships and ensuring my employees feel empowered in their roles.

"Get involved. Find out how to plug in some way to the UTA community. There are so many opportunities!"

Describe your path to your current position. What have you learned along the way?
I worked in client services for two smaller local companies before joining my current company. I always aim to exceed client expectations! At my current company I worked as an account manager and then a senior consultant in the health plan arena before being identified as a fit for a new leadership role. I’ve learned that you never know who will be able to help you, so relationships are important and that you truly learn something new every day.

Tell us about your interest in community service. How did you get started and what drove you to get involved with community organizations. 
I dove deep into community service through experience with my sorority Zeta Tau Alpha. I got started volunteering at races that support breast cancer awareness while in college. After experiencing what it was like to give back and the positive impact you can have, I started looking around my own community to learn more and help in a meaningful way. That led me all over this great city. With the Junior League of Arlington, we champion women's and children's issues. Through my Rotary, HOPE Tutoring and PTA, we help improve the educational experiences and outcomes of students. MPAC has allowed me to get more active with local issues and elections. If there is an area someone is looking to plug into within Arlington, I bet it is out there and looking for volunteers with a passion for their mission!

What's one lesson you learned at UTA that has stayed with you still today? 
I learned to appreciate the diversity of opinions. Every student organization I participated in has stayed with me on a personal level with family, friends, and as a leader at work. I don’t want to be surrounded by people who only think like I do. You learn more when you have a variety of voices in the conversation. More opinions are represented and more ideas get shared. 

What message do you have for the next generation of UTA graduates?
Get involved. Find out how to plug in some way to the UTA community. There are so many opportunities! Your college experience will be better for it, and you will be better prepared to be an engaged and contributing member of your community after you graduate.

Anything else you would like to share?
Much like friendships, with volunteering you get out what you put into it. You can show up, keep your head down, do your task, and know that you've contributed, or you can take the time to make friends and learn leadership skills that will go on to impact other areas of your life. It is all up to you!