Apryl Marie Fogel of Titusville has lived in Brevard County Florida for most of her life; she attended Brevard County public schools before moving to Tallahassee to attend Florida State University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Social Sciences in addition to an Undergraduate Certificate in Aging Studies from the Claude Pepper Institute. The topic of her certificate program research and practicum was “Providing for caregivers needs in families of Alzheimer’s patients.”
With a strong emphasis on field operations and media campaigns, Fogel has worked in the External Affairs office for Florida Governor Jeb Bush, the Office of the Secretary at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and as a NRA-ILA field representative focused on electing strong second amendment candidates and for the advancement of a conservative policy agenda for the last eight years.
One of the most personally rewarding times in her professional career was the two years she spent with a statewide association representing over 70 non-profit community mental health centers throughout Florida. As the Director of Government and External Affairs Fogel was able to grow and mobilize a grassroots network of over 5,000 individuals. During her tenure she successfully coordinated the first organized grassroots campaign of consumers, facility staff and concerned voters who wrote and called their elected officials to advocate for the continued funding of community based care and crisis service facilities. These facilities provide a much needed safety network for the uninsured who have severe and persistent mental illness while being the most fiscally conservative answer to a problem that is often ignored.
In late 2007, Fogel filed and ran in the Special Election for House District 32, an election held on the same day as the Presidential Primary election of 2008. She won the endorsements of the National Rifle AssociationPVF, the Orlando Sentinel, 13 members of the state legislature, the Brevard Association of Realtors, and the Orange County Medical Association. Fogel finished second of four in Brevard County for the primary and third overall receiving over 5,300 votes.
In 2010 Fogel led the efforts of a statewide grassroots organization dedicated to return our nation to its founding principles of the U.S. Constitution. As the State Director of Americans for Prosperity Florida she reestablished a failed chapter making it one of the best in the nation. Her success included growing membership from just over 30k to just over 90k, building a network of dozens of tea party groups to partner with for events and advocacy, coordinating 2 statewide bus tours and over 75 events in 12-months.
She successfully designed and implemented a plan for voter education in the “November is Coming” project which targeted 4 U.S. Congressional Districts with liberal incumbents who with big spending big government voting histories were not representing their constituents best interest. Her comprehensive “November is Coming” plan included a direct mail program, phone banking, door-to-door canvassing, radio ads, billboards and television ads proved to be very successful. All four districts are now represented by new members of Congress who have pledged to rein in the size, scope and spending of the federal government.
Fogel left American’s for Prosperity to return to a “slower pace” on Capitol Hill working for the most effective member in the historic freshman class. As his Communications Director and Deputy Chief of Staff she coordinated media and a long term external affairs plan in one of the largest districts in the nation. This plan included an ongoing district wide “Jobs and Energy Tour”. Through this tour constituents were able to learn about conservative legislation being passing by the U.S. House of Representatives and to interact with their Congressman in ordinary day-to-day activities which included discussing gas and energy prices while the Congressman pumped gas and discussing jobs and the economy while he served meals at locally owned restaurants. During her tenure in addition to highlighting conservative legislation and committee actions passed by the House, Fogel worked with dozens of media outlets to bring attention to the largely ignored Fast & Furious cover up and unprecedented lies and misrepresentations to Congress by Attorney General Eric Holder.
Fogel continues to make guest appearances on conservative radio shows and speak to groups throughout Florida.
Updated: 07/11/12