Dr. Barbara J. Johnson began her position as Executive Vice President and Provost at Talladega College (Alabama) in July 2022. Before assuming her post at Talladega, she served as Vice President for Academic Affairs at Arkansas Tech University and as a Vice President for Accreditation Relations for the Higher Learning Commission, the regional accreditor for the North Central United States. Dr. Johnson has worked in academe for over 20 years as both an administrator and faculty member. Previously, she held faculty positions at the University of New Orleans, Jackson State University, Northern Illinois University, Meharry Medical College, Vanderbilt University, and Volunteer State Community College. Her previous professional administrative experience includes accreditation, assessment, institutional effectiveness, student affairs administration, institutional operations, faculty development, community college and adult education, marketing research and consultation in both higher education and corporate environments at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Northern Illinois University, Meharry Medical College, the Higher Learning Commission, and CB&A Market Research Group.

Her teaching and research interests include the recruitment, development, retention and experiences of students and faculty in a variety of post-secondary institutions, specifically Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

Dr. Johnson’s involvement with the American Association of Blacks in Higher Education (AABHE) began when she was selected as the recipient of the American Association for Higher Education Black Caucus Dissertation Award. She was also a participant in the inaugural (2003) Leadership and Mentoring Institute. In fall 2008, Dr. Johnson was appointed director of the Leadership and Mentoring Institute. At the 2012 annual conference for AABHE, she was awarded the AABHE Exemplary Award for Public Service. She was recognized as the Recipient of the Joseph H. Silver, Sr., LMI Alumni Award at the 2017 AABHE Conference for her leadership and mentoring within the profession and civic activities.

She received her baccalaureate degree in accounting from Winston-Salem State University, her M.B.A. with a marketing focus from The Ohio State University, and her Ph.D. in Education and Human Development with an emphasis in Higher Education from Vanderbilt University.
Dr. Barbara Johnson