She received her MFA in Painting from Indiana University in 2006, and her BFA in Painting from Missouri State University in 2002. She was a Teaching Fellow at Herron School of Art and Design, and has taught for the Missouri Fine Arts Academy, the Springfield Art Museum, and the Indianapolis Art Center. Johnson is the recipient of the 2009 University of Central Missouri College of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences Excellence in Teaching Award Non Tenure Track award, the Institute of Integrative Teaching Think Tank:4 Emerging Educators Fellowship, and the Indiana University Graduate School Future Faculty Teaching Fellowship.