Lieutenant Colonel April A. Jenkins is from Monterey, California. She graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in New York, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in American Legal Studies. Upon graduation from West Point, she was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Signal Corps.

LTC Jenkins' initial assignment was as the cable platoon leader and executive officer for 304th Signal Battalion, 1st Signal Brigade, Camp Stanley, South Korea. She was next assigned as the battalion signal officer for 3-101st Attack Helicopter Reconnaissance Battalion, 159th Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Kentucky. While in the 101st Airborne Division, she deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. LTC Jenkins next served as the battalion signal officer for 505th Quartermaster Battalion, and the commander of the 87th Quartermaster Detachment (Parachute), 10th Regional Support Group, Okinawa, Japan. She later became the company commander for 333rd Signal Company, 58th Signal Battalion, 516th Signal Brigade.

Upon completion of command, LTC Jenkins was selected to serve as military staff to the President of the United States at the White House Communications Agency. Following President Support duty, LTC Jenkins assumed command of the U.S. Army Network Enterprise Center, United States Southern Command, Doral Florida. LTC Jenkins' education and training includes the Signal Officer Basic Course, Battalion/Brigade Signal Officer course, Aviation Captains Career Course, Survival Evasion Resistance Escape (SERE) Level-C, Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Combatives Level One, and CompTIA Security+ and Network+ certifications.

LTC Jenkins graduated with distinction from the College of Naval Command and Staff, U.S. Naval War College. She holds a Master of Business Administration from the George Washington University and Master of Arts in Defense and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College. LTC Jenkins' awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, the Presidential Service Badge, and the Air Assault, Airborne, and Pathfinder Badges. She is a recipient of the General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award and the Diane M. Disney Writing Award.