The Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice has named April Shoup as the new warden of the Western Correctional Center for Women in Black Mountain.

She had been the associate warden at the facility since 2021.

“Warden Shoup has more than a quarter-century of dedicated service to our prisons, and a wealth of knowledge of the facility she now leads,” said Todd Ishee, Commissioner of Prisons. “I’m glad to welcome her to our team of wardens who work so hard to protect the staff, the offenders, and our communities with caring and compassion.”

In her new position, Shoup is responsible for all operations at Western Correctional, which houses minimum custody female offenders.

Western Correctional Center for Women opened on July 7, 2008. Formerly named Swannanoa Correctional Center for Women, the facility’s named was changed on  Oct. 4, 2021.

One of Shoup’s top priorities as warden is to hire and retain high-quality staff members.

“We have good jobs for dedicated people who want a career in public service, to help to protect their families and communities,” she said. “These are important jobs with good benefits.”

A veteran employee to state government, Shoup began her career with the Department of Public Safety in 1995 as a correctional officer at Marion Correctional Institution.

She was promoted to sergeant in 1999. She was promoted again in 2001, to be assistant housing unit manager at Marion Correctional Institution. In 2005, she was tapped to be the housing unit manager at the close-custody Marion Correctional Institution. In 2015 she accepted the position of unit manager at that prison’s minimum custody unit.

She was promoted to associate warden at Western Correctional in February 2021 and named acting warden later in the year.

She takes pride in leading by example and building effective teams.

Her hobbies include reading and enjoying the outdoors.

Western CCW renovated four dormitories: Greenwood, Frye, Sloop and Gilliat. Renovations on the vocation building provided offenders with an educational classroom and an operating greenhouse.

Renovations to the Buchanan building accommodated the increasing offender population and offered more educational classrooms and a medical wing.