April Richards is the Program Manager of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA's SBIR program focuses on developing and commercializing innovative technologies that address the Agency's mission of protecting human health and the environment. EPA topic areas include air and climate, water, green manufacturing and homeland security. April has worked as a fellow on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee where she provided technical expertise on environmental issues. She worked for five years in private industry with an environmental engineering consulting firm in Florida primarily in the area of drinking water treatment. She has a Master's degree in Civil/Environmental Engineering and is a professional engineer.