Deidre Johnson is the Executive Director of The Center for African-American Health. A community-based nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health and well-being of African Americans, The Center works toward health equity for the underserved African American community by offering culturally competent health education and outreach that empowers community members to overcome the root causes of health problems, maximize their own individual health and access health and support services. Johnson is a results-oriented executive with an extensive background in strategic planning, grant making, grants management, fund raising, program development, project management, strategic learning and systems evaluation. Prior to joining the Center in December 2015, Johnson was a Program Officer for The Colorado Trust, Vice President of Development and Marketing for Qualistar Early Learning, worked as a senior consultant with JVA Consulting, and has held various leadership positions in development and communications with the Urban League of Metropolitan Denver, the Mile High Montessori Early Learning Centers. and the Colorado I Have a Dream Foundation.
A Denver native, Johnson graduated from St. Mary’s Academy and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Princeton University and an MBA from the Yale School of Management. Johnson currently serves on the following boards and steering committees: St. Mary’s Academy, Mile High Health Alliance, the Colorado Nonprofit Loan Fund the Cavity Free at Three Advisory Board the Colorado Health Access Fund State Advisory Board, Center for Health Equity at Denver Health Steering Committee, and CDPHE Office of Health Disparities Health Equity Profile Advisory Committee.
Johnson is an ASCEND Aspen Institute Colorado Children and Families Health and Human Services Fellow (2017-2018), a Transformative Leadership for Change Fellow (2017-2018), a Livingston Fellow (2018), a member of the Denver Metro Chamber Foundation Leadership Denver Class of 2007 and co-Chair of the Denver Princeton Prize in Race Relations for the Rocky Mountain Princeton Club. She is the mother of two sons, Noah (14) and Jordan (13).
What are you looking forward to as a fellow of TLC?
“I am looking forward to learning to working with such a dynamic group. Some who I know, many whom I have heard of and have been wanting to meet, and others new to me. I am excited about the collective possibilities of what we can create together!“