She takes over the post from Samuel Cooke, who served for 16 years. Johnson was elected a trustee in 2003, and has served on the board's education, development and collections committees. A graduate of Punahou School and Colorado College, she holds an MBA and an MA from the University of Hawai'i and has worked as a public and private schoolteacher. Johnson also serves as a trustee of the Cooke Foundation, and on the Boards of the Manoa Heritage Center, La Pietra School, Hawaii Pacific University and the Honolulu Symphony Foundation.