Alexis McGill Johnson
Alexis McGill Johnson | |
---|---|
President and CEO of Planned Parenthood | |
Assumed office July 16, 2019 Acting: July 16, 2019 – June 26, 2020 | |
Preceded by | Leana Wen |
Personal details | |
Born | 1972 (age 49–50) New York City, New York, U.S. |
Spouse(s) | Robert Johnson |
Education | Princeton University (BA) Yale University (MA) |
Alexis McGill Johnson is an American academic and social justice advocate. She is the executive director and co-founder of the Perception Institute, an anti-bias research group, and is currently the president of Planned Parenthood.
Early life and education[]
McGill Johnson was born in New York City in 1972 and raised by her mother and father.[1] Her mother worked her way up from a secretary to an executive-level position at AT&T. McGill Johnson's childhood was strongly influenced by her parents' pride in black culture.[2]
In 1993, she graduated from Princeton University with a bachelor's degree in political science and a focus in Latin-American social movements.[3][4] She went on to receive a Master of Arts from Yale University in 1995, also in political science.[5][6][7]
Career[]
McGill Johnson taught political science and African-American studies at both Yale and Wesleyan University. She served as political director for Russell Simmons' "Hip-Hop Summit Action Network", and was the executive director of Citizen Change during the 2004 election season, launching their "Vote or Die!" campaign.[8]
In 2009, she co-founded the Perception Institute (formerly known as the American Values Institute), a research group studying bias reduction and discrimination, and was their executive director. She co-created the curriculum for Starbucks' racial bias training in May 2018.[3]
On July 16, 2019, McGill Johnson was announced as Planned Parenthood's acting president after the termination of Leana Wen. McGill Johnson was previously a board member and was the board's chair from 2013 to 2015.[9] At that time, the Perception Institute listed her as being "on leave."[10] On June 26, 2020, she was elevated to permanent president and CEO of Planned Parenthood.[11]
McGill Johnson has also served on the boards of New York Civil Liberties Union, the Center for Social Inclusion, and Citizen Engagement Lab.[8]
Personal life[]
She lives in New York City. She is married to Robert Johnson, who is the president of the Institute for New Economic Thinking.[12] They have two daughters.[13]
References[]
- ^ "Meet the New Head of Planned Parenthood: Alexis McGill Johnson Is a Seasoned Soldier in the War for Women's Reproductive Health". The Glow Up. Retrieved 2020-03-24.
- ^ Initiative Radio, IR-10-25 Alexis McGill Johnson, retrieved 2019-07-24
- ^ a b "What I Learned: Teaching Baristas About Bias". Princeton Alumni Weekly. 2018-12-31. Retrieved 2019-07-20.
- ^ "Activist fights voter apathy". Lewiston Sun Journal. 2005-02-23. Retrieved 2019-07-24.
- ^ Fennimore, Jack (2019-07-16). "Alexis McGill Johnson: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy.com. Retrieved 2019-07-19.
- ^ "Black Woman Yale Grad Is New Acting President of Planned Parenthood". Black Enterprise. 2019-07-17. Retrieved 2019-07-19.
- ^ Marks, Mindy (June 25, 2018). "Yale Alumni Association Hosts Panel Discussion on Black Women, Beauty, and Perception". YaleWomen. Retrieved 2019-07-20.
- ^ a b "Alexis McGill Johnson". othering & belonging. Retrieved 2019-07-19.
- ^ "Planned Parenthood Announces New Leadership". www.plannedparenthood.org. Retrieved 2019-07-19.
- ^ "Team". Perception Institute. Retrieved 2019-07-20.
- ^ "Alexis McGill Johnson Named Permanent President and CEO of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund". www.plannedparenthood.org. Retrieved 2020-06-26.
- ^ "Institute for New Economic Thinking". Institute for New Economic Thinking.
- ^ Read, Bridget (April 7, 2020). "How the Acting Head of Planned Parenthood Gets It Done". The Cut.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alexis McGill Johnson. |
- Living people
- Presidents of Planned Parenthood
- Princeton University alumni
- Yale University alumni
- Yale University faculty
- Wesleyan University faculty
- People from New York City
- African-American feminism
- 1972 births