Ms. Johnson is an avid student advocate. During her years as a teacher, she helped students develop leadership skills by training them in mediation through the Winning Against Violent Environments (WAVE) Program, voter registration, letter writing to newspapers, and speaking at community forums. She also transported Student Council leaders to Columbus to lobby for fair school funding. Since her retirement, Ms. Johnson has taught student participants in the Upward Bound program every summer on the campus of Case Western Reserve University. Case's campus is also where she hosts a weekly radio show called "It's About Justice." Ms. Johnson was elected to the State Board of Education in November 2016 and eligible for re-election November 2020.