A Look Into Dr. Joyce Johnson’s Journey of Educational Leadership

Dr. Joyce Johnson is a native of Memphis, Tennessee, currently residing in Fort Meade, Maryland, with her husband, Washington Johnson II, the Director of Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries in the North American Division. They are the thankful parents of one son, Washington Johnson III, a fourth-year medical student at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee.

Dr. Johnson is a seasoned educator, having held P-12 and higher education roles in both instruction and administration. These have included core faculty positions at The Chicago School, Jackson State (Mississippi), Capella, and Strayer Universities, and administrative roles at Oakwood University, and the Oakland, California and Jackson, Mississippi public school districts. Additionally, prior to transitioning to academic education, Johnson acquired extensive corporate leadership experience with FedEx Express Corporation over 17 years, where her career culminated as the Manager of Management Education for the company’s Leadership Institute.

Her combined leadership and educational experience have been favorably acknowledged throughout her career, having received multiple awards, including the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching from Capella University and the Five Star Award for leadership excellence from FedEx Express Corporation.

Johnson earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Memphis and holds a Ph.D. in Leadership from Andrews University’s School of Education in Berrien Springs, Michigan.

She is very honored for the opportunity to serve as Dean of Washington Adventist University’s School of Graduate and Professional Studies (SGPS). Embracing this position as a divine calling, she embarks on this journey with unwavering faith and an unshakeable conviction that she is being led toward extraordinary opportunities.

Johnson enjoys engaging in her online Bible School, meditative reading, walking, and spending quality family time.