Ph.D. University of Tennessee at Knoxville
M.S. Arkansas State University
B.S. James Madison University

Dr. Johnson spent 32 years at JMU starting as an instructor in 1988 and eventually becoming director of SMAD. She took on other leadership roles across the university, including serving as interim dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts and interim dean of JMU Libraries. She retired in 2020 as the vice provost for faculty and curriculum.