Title: Community and Government Relations Specialist
Company: Woodbourne Center
Location: Gwynn Oak, MD United States

Inspired by the people she has helped and the people she can help, Addie Johnson made it her mission to capture youth at an early age so that she could offer career options and a sense of future. It is for this reason that she joined the Woodbourne Center as a community and government relations specialist. The organization offers a psychiatric residential treatment program for boys ages 12 to 18, a community treatment foster care program, and the Woodbourne School. In her current role, Ms. Johnson develops and maintains relationships with the community and government resources to broaden the pace of referrals, donors and service partners for the center, and increases their presence in the public and press. She is also responsible for prospecting for partnerships, fundraising opportunities and donor sources.

In addition to her community and government relations work, Ms. Johnson also provides workshops on restorative practices and communications skills. As a licensed restorative practice professional, she teaches others how to build social capital. Ms. Johnson’s greatest strengths are building relationships and training people, which have come in handy throughout her career.

Prior to her current position, Ms. Johnson served Woodbourne School as a principal. She is proud of having run an urban school year round. Ms. Johnson would like to change the way people teach, however, as she feels that constant testing leaves no room for creativity and learning.

To prepare for her career, Ms. Johnson earned a master’s degree and a bachelor’s degree from Coppin State University, and completed master’s plus classes at Loyola University. She hopes to be remembered as someone who truly believed in people and the fact that no one is born wrong. Ms. Johnson was skilled in helping people find their strengths, and provided them with the right chances and opportunities to use them. She supports her community by mentoring male teens in the hood and supporting Edgewood Ministries, the Helping Up Mission, and the All Saints Catholic Church. Additionally, Ms. Johnson is an honored member of The International Women’s Leadership Association. Looking forward, she hopes to continue on the same path.

Contact Addie Johnson