Kay Johnson is a research assistant at the Community College Research Center and a master’s student in education policy at Teachers College, Columbia University, where she is a Founders Award recipient. Her interests include educational access, student success, workforce pathways, and the relationship between policy and practice.
Johnson earned a bachelor of science in health science with a minor in nonprofit management from the University of Memphis. She holds a professional coaching certification through Ignite Global, with training aligned with the International Coaching Federation, and a Google Project Management Certificate through Coursera.
Her experience spans youth development, student transition support for learners with IEPs and 504 plans, digital literacy, career readiness, and social-emotional learning. Her interdisciplinary background extends into entrepreneurship, digital communications, fashion, and creative expression, including publishing an SEL-focused coloring book and developing confidence-centered learning experiences.
Guided by the question, “Who gets to define what preparation for success looks like?” Johnson is interested in how institutional decisions and student support systems influence educational persistence, credential completion, workforce readiness, and opportunities for economic mobility.