Joyce S. Johnson
Joyce S. Johnson, the newly appointed president and CEO of the Black Equity Alliance, is a lifelong New Yorker with a three-decade history of accomplishments in the public and private sectors. She possesses an invaluable combination of bold and distinguished leadership, passionate activism and unflagging dedication to solving the many challenges facing an increasingly complex global society
Over the course of her career Ms. Johnson has broken glass ceilings, enhanced educational services to 1.1 million students, established public-private partnerships, and widened the doors of opportunity for current and future generations.
Born into a family steeped in public service—her father, Columbus L. Stanley, was the first African American elected to the city council in Poughkeepsie and her mother Dorothy B. Stanley was the first African American to teach in the Poughkeepsie City School system and later became school principal—Ms. Johnson has amplified that tradition.
Most recently she served as the New York State Field Director in Senator Barack Obama’s current presidential campaign, carving significant inroads into what was thought to be an impenetrable statewide support base. She was the campaign manager for C. Virginia Field’s race for New York City Council in 1991 and Downstate Field Director in Geraldine Ferraro’s 1992 campaign for the U.S. Senate, and a campaign consultant and deputy campaign manager for Charlie King for NYS Attorney General, 2006.
Ms. Johnson has a venerable background in New York City government and public education. She formerly held positions as : Executive Assistant, to NY City Schools Chancellor directing the Office of Business and Community Relations, Director of Community Relations for New York City Comptroller, Special Assistant to the Manhattan Borough President, and Operations Manager and Consultant for the New York City Mayor’s Office of Children and Families.
Her private sector experience is equally formidable. Ms. Johnson began her professional career as a management trainee with Fortune 500 Company Joseph E. Seagram and Sons, Inc. in one of its Baltimore, Maryland production plants, rising through the ranks and breaking its glass ceiling to become the National Director of Equal Employment Opportunity. Most recently she served as the Director of Operations for Readnet Charter School, and previously served as the President and CEO of Bradford Stanley Johnson & Johnson Ltd., a consulting firm that assists school districts and nonprofits to form strategic partnerships.
She is a Board Member of the NYS League of Conservation Voters (NYC Chapter); a Board Member of the Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy Committee; the Chair of the Social Action, North Manhattan Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc; a member of Howard University Alumni Association of NYC; and a Board Member of Strycker’s Bay Neighborhood Council. She is also a former Board Member of the Riverside Park Fund (2003-2006); is the former Board Chair for the Upper West Side Community Board 7 (1997-1999, member 1991-2007); a former Executive Board Member Mitchell-Lama Residents Coalition (1990-1993); the Democratic District Leader, Community Free Democrats, 69th A.D., an elected position, (1989-1993); and the Executive Vice President, Membership Chair, and Vice Chair for Political Planning for the National Women’s Political Caucus, Manhattan Chapter (1988-1995).
Ms. Johnson has a B.S. in Microbiology from Howard University, an EEO Certificate from Cornell University, School of Industrial and Labor Relations, and a Certified Compensation Professional Certificate from American Compensation Association.