April F. Heinze, Captain, Civil Engineer Corps, USN (Ret.)

San Diego, CA

Captain April Heinze is a 1982 NROTC graduate of the University of Virginia’s school of engineering. Following her commissioning as a Navy Civil Engineer Corps officer, she served on active duty for more than 23 years in various public works management, facilities engineering, real estate services, energy management and construction contracting positions on Navy installations. April also served on several senior staffs including the Commander, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, Naval Facilities Engineering Command and the Office of the Secretary of Defense where she was responsible for various base operations support policies and programs.

During her Navy career, April was a leader in the integration of women into the military’s civil engineer and construction forces. In 1989, she became one of the first women officers assigned to a Navy Construction Battalion (SEABEE) and in 1990 she deployed to Saudi Arabia as a Company Commander during the first week of Desert Shield to support the Marines Expeditionary Force. In 1991 she was one of the first officers assigned to disaster recovery in Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines following the volcanic eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. In 2003, April became the third woman ever promoted to Captain in the Civil Engineer Corps and she was assigned as the Executive Officer, Navy Public Works Center, San Diego, where she was responsible for 1600 employees providing $400 million dollars of facility, vehicle and utility services annually to multiple bases in the region.

During her Navy career, she completed advanced education including a Master of Science degree in Engineering from the University of Washington, Naval War College (off campus program), and the Advanced Executive Program at Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University. She is a licensed Mechanical Engineer in California.

Captain Heinze's military awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, three Meritorious Service Medals, three Navy Commendation Medals and the Navy Achievement Medal.

Following retirement from the Navy in 2005, April joined Carter & Burgess (now part of Jacobs Engineering) as a Vice President for Federal Programs. Since 2007, she has worked as the Director of General Services for the County of San Diego, California responsible for public facilities operations and management, capital programs, real estate transactions, energy and sustainability programs, and public fleet management.

April served on the SLDN Military Advisory Council from 2009 to 2010 and joined the Board of Directors in 2010.