Knowing what’s important, what drives you, and how you want to be remembered creates tremendous clarity in how you should live your life. Katrina Johnson is creating a legacy to remember. An empathetic leader, who leads with her heart – both at Central Piedmont and in the Charlotte community – she speaks highly of her upbringing which shaped her into the person she is today. Katrina shares, “I was raised with love, affection, and respect for learning and I strive to provide the same with everyone in my sphere of influence. I believe laughter makes the world go ‘round…I love jokes and making people smile.”
As a cheerleading coach at Johnson C. Smith, she takes the same approach to leading her team on and off the court. In every sense of the word, she is her team’s greatest cheerleader – a feeling all students and employees who cross her path would agree to as well.
Katrina serves as the assistant director of Mentoring and Bridge for the college. She is no stranger to the invaluable benefits of mentoring and shares, “I am deeply grateful to have a variety of leaders who have mentored and coached me throughout my career. In their honor, I am committed to mentoring and coaching others in their leadership journey. My mom and dad are my greatest role models.”
Upon completing her dual degree in Master of Business Administration and Master of Leadership at Pfeiffer University, she tapped into her divine purpose which has set the tone for the way she approaches her power of influence every day. Katrina says, “through those experiences I was able to push through self-doubt and realized I was living into my strengths and serving others in the way God intended.”
Having previously worked for Fortune 500 companies and for the Red Cross as Director of Disaster Education, her career path could have taken a number of directions. But joining Central Piedmont 13 years ago, she knew it was a pivotal moment in her career. “My mother is a retired high school vocational teacher and my father is a retired educator who has served as a teacher, college president, associate superintendent in multiple systems within North Carolina, Dean of Education at UNCW and Fayetteville State, explains Katrina. “So I come from a long line of educators which made my decision to come to Central Piedmont very personal and meaningful to me.”
One of Katrina’s favorite quotes is, “no matter how educated, talented, rich, or cool you believe you are, how you treat people ultimately tells all.” She believes leading a life of kindness is ultimately how we can have the greatest impact on those around us. This philosophy is also at the heart of her opinion on how we can honor great women in history.
Katrina shares, “I believe women should be honored because of the sacrifices made throughout history and the continued struggle to be seen, respected, and have an equal seat at the table. Women are resilient and we take responsibility with love and honor despite our struggles. We can best recognize women with respect, courtesy, and in work like this social media campaign to publicly recognize the work we do and the history we represent.”
When asked about what final words to leave with our Central Piedmont community regarding Women’s History Month, she replies, “Be proud of who you are, where you came from, and where you are in your life’s journey. Be passionate in service to our students. Be purposeful in how you lead to conquer the possibilities for the Charlotte community.”