Charged with managing the recently launched Expanding Diversity in Economics program, Johnson oversees an innovative University of Chicago Summer Institute designed to identify and support talented undergraduate students from a broad range of backgrounds interested in the study of economics.
Prior to joining BFI, he developed and managed diversity and inclusion outreach and recruitment for interns, research assistants, and economists as the first-ever Senior Economics Outreach Specialist for the Federal Reserve Board of Governors (Board). While at the Board, Johnson founded the Economics Outreach at the Federal Reserve Board program, where he launched a number of community engagement and mentoring initiatives. He also served as the Co-Chair for the African American Employee Resource Group, representing the over 580 African American Board Employees.
Johnson developed his human-centered approach to diversity, equity and inclusion over his international and domestic career experiences. After earning a Bachelor’s of Science degree in math and economics from Morehouse College, he spent his first several years out of undergraduate study teaching English to students in Japan. Upon returning to the US, he transitioned into an admissions position for his alma mater. Johnson continued his admissions work at the undergraduate and graduate level at American University, where he also earned a Master of Business Administration, specializing in consulting and leadership. He was no stranger to government service before his tenure at the Board, supporting the US Department of Defense as a management consultant after completing his graduate study.
Johnson is a highly regarded connector and dynamic network builder within the economics community, creating strategic partnerships with colleges, universities, professional and public organizations to motivate students and encourage them to study and pursue economics as a career field. He is the committee chair for partnership strategy for Pathways to Research and Doctoral Careers (PREDOC), a consortium of universities and research institutions that aims to foster a talented, diverse, and inclusive population in the quantitative social sciences. He also serves on the advisory board for the Sadie Collective, an organization dedicated to addressing the critical lack of Black women in economics and related fields.