Dr. Johnson is a formally-trained epidemiologist whose passion for improving population health motivates her leadership, research, and mentoring activities. She directs the PhD Epidemiology graduate program at the Colorado School of Public Health, and annually teaches Introduction to Public Health for undergraduate students at the University of Colorado Denver. Dr. Johnson leads the RKJcollab by providing scientific, fiscal, analytical, and professional development oversight as they conduct high-quality, consequential research at the intersection of epidemiology and precision medicine. Prior to completing her MPH and PhD in Epidemiology at the Colorado School of Public Health and her postdoctoral fellowship in Personalized Medicine at the CU School of Medicine, Dr. Johnson worked as an educator and community health professional for seven years.
Her hobbies include gardening, Special Olympics sports, and seasonal outdoor activities that keep her moving and connected with nature. She thrives with over three hours of direct sunlight and two daily coffee infusions, and flourishes best when fertilized with bi-weekly baked goods. A self-pruning, non-invasive type, she ranks her staple carbs in order of loyalty: bread, potatoes, beans=pasta=corn, and finally, rice.