Dr. April Waddell Messer of Asheville, NC, graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro on December 8th, 2022 with a doctorate in Nursing (PhD.)

April is a 1992 graduate of Salisbury High School. She received a Bachelor of Science in Biology (BS) from the University of Arizona in 1998 and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Western Carolina University in 2010. April received a Master of Nursing (MSN) from Western Carolina University in 2013.

April is the daughter of Penelope Junge Plyler and the grandaughter of the late John and Nonnie Waddell, and the late Vanderhiden Junge and Anne Junge Stark.

April is a Professor and serves as the Associate Director of Nursing at Western Carolina University.

She resides with her family, Albert Messer, J.D., children, Alyssa Messer, Payton Messer, Van Messer and Miles Messer in Asheville, NC.