April Ross

Executive Director, Georgia Commission on Family Violence

April Ross, Esq. currently serves as the Executive Director for the Georgia Commission on Family Violence. A graduate of Emory University School of Law and a member of the Georgia Bar since 2011, she began her professional career in marketing before pursuing a law degree. Ross obtained her MBA and Bachelor of Science in Business degrees from Florida A & M University. 

Ross began her legal career as an Assistant District Attorney at the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office. As a young prosecutor, Ross worked on various cases before being assigned to the investigation and trial team for the Atlanta Public Schools cheating scandal, where she made notable contributions. On April 25, 2014, Ross’s life was tragically altered when her estranged husband shot her multiple times after she filed for divorce. The attack left her paralyzed from the chest down. 

Since the shooting, Ross has advocated for implementing policies and systemic responses to domestic violence in Georgia that enhance safety for victims, enforce accountability for abusers, and help survivors of abusive relationships reclaim their lives. She is also a strong believer in awareness and prevention. Ross works to educate the public about recognizing early signs and safely escaping abusive relationships. She facilitates training and speaks to survivors, students, the law enforcement community, victim advocacy organizations, and the public and private sectors to foster understanding, allyship, and energy for change against the epidemic of abuse and violence in both family and intimate partner relationships. Ross volunteers as a peer support mentor for patients at the Shepherd Center with recent spinal cord injuries, particularly those whose injury was the result of domestic abuse and/or gun violence. 

Ross is a member of Cascade United Methodist Church and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. She lives in the metro Atlanta area with her two fur babies.