Rev. 8/1/25 Dr. Brian L. Johnson served as the 8th President of Warner Pacific University (Portland, Oregon) from 2020-2025. Read an excerpt from his forthcoming book Coming to Civic and Sacred Calling (1995-2025): A 30–Year Reflection on Faith and Learning: https://intersectionoffaithandlearning.com/2025/08/28/the-yancy-years-2008-excerpt-from-coming-to-calling-a-30-year-reflection-1995-2025/?fbclid=IwVERDUAMeHqZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHvh9BHrZfCfkCl-AnlcKvxAqbQJAF8LmGs1bp1RT1-izGDwIqUMAYbuiBfPm_aem_dtqS4mgaWyMhaaufNnp3kg
Read also an excerpt from his forthcoming work on Boooker T. Washington, W.E.B Du Bois and Christian Pragmatism:
Prior to Warner Pacific University, he served as Vice President (campus president) Mercy College (Manhattan, NY campus) from 2018-2020 and 7th President of Tuskegee University from 2014-2017. To view Administrative Highlights and Tuskegee University history, click here: Tuskegee University 7th President (2014-2017) Tuskegee 7th President Administrative Highlights and his Presidential writings commemorating the 100th year (1915-2015) since the passing of Booker T. Washington Tuskegee University’s first principal and president (1881-1915): https://intersectionoffaithandlearning.com/16-the-daily-word-from-washington-presidential-commentaries-on-the-writings-of-booker-t-washington/
Most recently President Johnson has been named a 2024 (CIC) “Pioneering President,” an initiative funded by the Andrew Mellon Foundation–Dr. Johnson is also a Post doctoral Mellon Fellow who was the first to become a president of an (HBCU) historically black college and university–to share insights to higher education about the experiences of presidents from unique backgrounds in transformational institutional environments:
In September 2023 and September 2024, consecutively, Warner Pacific University became the first 4-year college or university in Oregon to receive a multi-million dollar Title V grant for Hispanic-Serving institutions and a multimillion dollar Hawkins Title II grant. Lastly, Dr. Johnson serves on executive committee of the (A.C.E.) American Council of Education Commission on Faith-based universities https://www.acenet.edu/Programs-Services/Pages/Communities/Faith-Based-Colleges-Universities.aspx and in 2025, Warner Pacific University was voted unanimously by the (CCCU) Council of Christian Colleges and Universities’ Board of Trustees to be restored to full membership as a Governing Member:
Dr. Johnson is an accomplished professor, scholar and administrator who has published (7) academic and scholarly books–including (2) books on William Edward Burghardt Du Bois and (1) institutional history of his alma mater-Johnson C. Smith University, a historically black university. Dr. Johnson regularly offers commentaries on the letters and writings of Booker T. Washington, Tuskegee University’s first principal and president: https://intersectionoffaithandlearning.com/16-the-daily-word-from-washington-presidential-commentaries-on-the-writings-of-booker-t-washington/
Dr. Johnson is also a sought after speaker who shares a powerful and compelling biographical narrative based upon an August 31, 1995 biographical article, the Raleigh News and Observer titled, “A Young Man Apart, A World Apart,” and becoming an accomplished professor, scholar and academic administrator before the age of 40. Dr. Johnson has been selected to speak at several events included among these was his selection as George Fox University President Lecture 2024, Mid American Christian University Centennial 2023, Clemson University’s 2015 Martin Luther King, Jr. Speaker, Auburn University’s 2016 Martin Luther King, Jr. Speaker, Westmont College Provost Lecture Series, University of Toledo Black History Month Speaker February 2016, Gordon College’s Faith Seeking Understanding Lecture Series February 2016, Mercy College Commencement Speaker 2016 and the Doctoral Hooding speaker at the University of South Carolina-Columbia 2014 Winter Ceremony. Mercy College awarded Dr. Johnson his first honorary doctorate in 2016.
To view some of Dr. Johnson’s lectures, talks or speeches, click here: Dr. Brian Johnson Lectures, Talks and Speeches
To view selected items of Dr. Johnson appearing in the news and media, click here: President Johnson in the news and media
Signal accomplishments reflecting Tuskegee University’s tradition and trajectory under President Johnson include but are not limited to the following: removal of SACSCOC regional accreditation warning for board governance and fiscal stability, significantly reducing the institution’s long-term debt, moving institution from annual operating deficits to surpluses based on audited financials, a 5-year strategic plan, a 10-year campus master plan, implementing online degree programs with SACSCOC approval, increased enrollment revenue based on head count and BFTE, enhanced infrastructure and technology including a new Analytics platform, a new electronic employee evaluation system, a new outcomes, accreditation, budget,planning and student co-curricular modules, online transcripts, putting the “A” in STEM with a new Music and Visual Arts Program and Lyceum Speakers Series, new student engagement initiatives including common-reading first year experience, President’s Men and Women Leaders Program, university-wide honors program and President’s scholars cohort experience, world-renowned Commencement Speakers including First Lady of the United States of America Michelle Obama, Phylicia Rashad, Derek Luke, ESPN CEO John Skipper and Tyler Perry and, finally, a re-invigorated and diverse portfolio of fundraising with six-figure gifts from capable alumni, the first-ever online appeals for campus improvements and renewed foundation relations and grants received from organizations such as Thurgood Marshall Foundation, Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Lilly Endowment, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Lumina Foundation. In 2015, Tuskegee University was ranked #1 HBCU according to College Choice, and in 2016 Tuskegee University ascended to #4 ranked HBCU in both Wall Street Journal and U.S. News and World Reports. Moreover, in 2016, Mercy College conferred President Johnson his first honorary degree, Simmons College awarded President Johnson with the George Washington Carver medal, Ebony Magazine (September 2016 Issue) named President Johnson 1 of 5 HBCU presidents as part of its “Leaders of the New School” and President Johnson organized a historic convening of foundations and corporations on behalf of Tuskegee University at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. The President and Mrs. Johnson also created a $100,000 endowed scholarship for Tuskegee University students in 2014.
Dr. Johnson received his Ph.D. in English from the University of South Carolina specializing in 17th-19th Century American Literature and his M.A. in English from The University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Among several academic and administrative awards, he has received a (2012-2013) (A.C.E.) American Council on Education Fellowship (Presidential Aspirant)/ IUPUI Chancellor’s Office/Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy/Lake Institute Faith and Giving (2012-2013) (A.A.S.C.U.) American Association of State College and University Millennium Leadership Initiative Fellowship (Presidential Aspirant), a (2011-2012) (CCCU) Consortium of Christian Colleges and Universities rising senior administrative Fellowship, a (2011-2012) Tennessee Board of Regents Maxine Smith rising senior administrator Fellowship at the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, a (2007) Woodrow Wilson/Career Enhancement Sabbatical Fellowship, a (2006-2007) appointment as the Civic Engagement Scholar within the (J. McDonald Williams Institute-Dallas, Texas), a (2005-2007) Lilly Foundation/Center for Christian Studies Fellowship (Gordon College, Wenham, MA), a (2004-2005) non-resident fellowship within the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Studies (Harvard University) and a (2003-Present) Andrew W. Mellon-Benjamin Mays Postdoctoral Fellowship.
Dr. Johnson is married to his college sweetheart of 25 years, Shemeka Barnes Johnson and they have two sons, Brian Asa ( a senior at Campbell University) and Nathan Morgan Qodesh (a junior at Morehouse College.) In Oregon, he served as a Board of Director for (OAICU) Oregon Alliance of Independent Colleges and Universities and All Hands Raised (Portland, Oregon). He has also formerly served on the Trinity Forum Board of Trustees (Washington, DC), Greenville College (Illinois) Board of Trustees, the institutional board of directors for (UNCF) United Negro College Fund, the Board of Directors for the 34th Street Partnership Business Improvement District in New York, New York and Community Board #5 (Manhattan) New York, New York. In his hometown of Durham, North Carolina, Dr. Johnson has been inducted into the Salvation Army Boys Club Hall of Fame and the Boys and Girl Club of America (formerly John Avery Boys Club) Hall of Fame. In 2015, he was also awarded the key to the city of Durham, North Carolina where he was honored with a “Dr. Brian Johnson Day.”
You can contact Dr. Johnson at dr.brianjohnson73@gmail.com;
You can follow Dr. Johnson on twitter @DrBrianJohnson1
