April Manatt is a Senior Consultant with the Blue Sky Consulting Group. Ms. Manatt provided policy advice and analysis to the California State Legislature for nine years as a legislative assistant, committee consultant, and Chief Consultant to the Senate Local Government Committee. For six years at the Senate Local Government Committee, she wrote laws and shaped state policies relating to the powers, organization, and financing of cities, counties, special districts, and redevelopment agencies. Some of her most significant contributions include legislation regarding Orange County's bankruptcy, property tax allocation, joint power agreements, LAFCO reform, special district reorganization, Los Angeles secession, Brown Act revisions, public safety funding, and Proposition 218 implementation. As a legislative assistant, Ms. Manatt helped advance child support reforms, teacher training, and transportation safety.

Ms. Manatt is the author of What's So Special About Special Districts? and numerous other state government publications. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of California at Santa Barbara and a Master of Arts degree in public administration from the University of Southern California.