Alexis McGill Johnson

Lori Alexis McGill Johnson
Alexis McGill Johnson in 2025
President and CEO of Planned Parenthood
Incumbent
Assumed office
July 16, 2019
Acting: July 16, 2019 – June 26, 2020
Preceded byLeana Wen
Personal details
Born (1972-08-05) August 5, 1972
New York City, New York, U.S.
SpouseRobert Johnson
EducationPrinceton University (BA)
Yale University (MA)

Alexis McGill Johnson[1][2] (born August 5, 1972) is an American businesswoman and social justice advocate. She currently serves as the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PFFA) as well as president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Action Fund.

Early life and education

McGill Johnson was born in Morristown, New Jersey and raised by her mother and father.[3] Her mother worked her way up from a secretary to an executive-level position at AT&T. McGill Johnson's childhood was strongly influenced by her parents' Black Nationalism and their pride in Black culture.[4]

In 1993, she graduated from Princeton University with a bachelor's degree in political science and a focus in Latin-American social movements.[2][5] She went on to receive a Master of Arts from Yale University in 1995.[6][7][8] She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.[9]

Career

Johnson speaks at a rally against abortion restrictions in North Carolina, 2023

McGill Johnson taught political science and African-American studies at both Yale and Wesleyan University. She served as political director for Russell Simmons' the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network and was the executive director of Citizen Change during the 2004 election season, launching their "Vote or Die!" campaign.[10]

In 2009, she co-founded and co-directed the Perception Institute (formerly the American Values Institute), a research organization focused on bias, discrimination, and identity. She served as the organization's executive director and worked on research and public education initiatives examining implicit bias and structural integrity

During her tenure, McGill Johnson worked with corporations, media organizations, and advocacy groups to develop bias-reduction strategies based on behavioral research. In 2018, she co-created the curriculum used for racial bias training at Starbucks following a widely reported incident at one of its Philadelphia stores that prompted a nationwide company training program.[2]

She also contributed to published research on racial perception and bias, including the Good Hair Study, which examined attitudes and implicit biases regarding Black women's hair in professional and social settings. The study explored how hair texture and style can influence perceptions of professionalism, competence, and beauty, and contributed to broader public discussions about workplace discrimination and cultural bias.[11]

On July 16, 2019, McGill Johnson was announced as Planned Parenthood's acting president after the termination of Leana Wen. McGill Johnson was previously a board member and was the board's chair from 2013 to 2015.[12] At that time, the Perception Institute listed her as being "on leave."[13] On June 26, 2020, she was elevated to permanent president and CEO of Planned Parenthood.[14]

McGill Johnson also serves on the boards of Color of Change and the Leadership Conference for Civil and Human Rights. She previously served on boards of the New York Civil Liberties Union, the Center for Social Inclusion, the Citizen Engagement Lab, and the Narrative Initiative.[10]

Leadership of Planned Parenthood

Alexis McGill Johnson’s tenure as president and CEO has coincided with major changes in U.S. abortion law, including the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade and returned abortion regulation to the states. Following the Dobbs decision, McGill Johnson led Planned Parenthood’s national advocacy and political response to expanding state abortion bans and restrictions.

Under McGill Johnson’s leadership, Planned Parenthood secured the largest gift from a single donor in the organization's history with MacKenzie Scott’s $275 million donation.[15] She also introduced initiatives focused on addressing racial disparities in reproductive and maternal health outcomes, including a Black health equity initiative aimed at strengthening services and outreach in communities disproportionately affected by gaps in care.

Public appearance and advocacy

McGill Johnson has participated in national conferences and public forums addressing reproductive health, civil rights, and nonprofit leadership. She has appeared at political and policy events in her capacity as president of Planned Parenthood. She also delivered remarks at the 2024 Democratic National Convention and participated in events with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris focused on reproductive rights policy following the Dobbs decision.[16]

As president of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, McGill Johnson has overseen electoral advocacy efforts related to abortion rights. During the 2023 and 2024 election cycles, abortion-rights ballot initiatives supported by reproductive-rights groups were approved by voters in several states, including enshrining abortion rights in Ohio’s constitution via "The Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety", stopping anti-abortion legislation in Virginia, expanding reproductive-rights majorities in New Jersey, and supporting the election of a progressive state supreme court justice in Pennsylvania.[17]

Awards and honors

  • Cultured Magazine, The 2026 CULT100[18]
  • Forbes 50 over 50, 2025[19]
  • National Action Network's Keepers of the Dream, 2024[20]
  • In 2024, McGill Johnson was recognized by CNN As Equals for her work as a social justice leader[21]
  • In 2023, McGill Johnson appeared in Politico's Playbook Power List for her work in wake of the repeal of Roe v. Wade[22]
  • In 2023, McGill Johnson was selected for STAT's Status List for her work in helping patients[23]
  • In 2022, McGill Johnson accepted the Clio Health Vangaurd Award on behalf of Planned Parenthood Federation of America
  • In 2022, The Root named McGill Johnson as one of the 100 Most Influential African Americans[24]
  • In 2022, AdWeek honored McGill Johnson and Planned Parenthood as their Purpose Brand

Personal life

She lives in New York City. She is married to Robert Johnson, who is the president of the Institute for New Economic Thinking.[25] They have two daughters.[26]

References

  1. ↑ "Alexis McGill Johnson Is Making Her Mark on Planned Parenthood". ELLE. 7 July 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 McGill-Johnson, Lori Alexis (31 December 2018). "What I Learned: Teaching Baristas About Bias". Princeton Alumni Weekly. Princeton University. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  3. ↑ "Meet the New Head of Planned Parenthood: Alexis McGill Johnson Is a Seasoned Soldier in the War for Women's Reproductive Health". The Glow Up. 18 September 2019. Retrieved 2020-03-24.
  4. ↑ Initiative Radio, IR-10-25 Alexis McGill Johnson, retrieved 2019-07-24
  5. ↑ "Activist fights voter apathy". Lewiston Sun Journal. 2005-02-23. Retrieved 2019-07-24.
  6. ↑ Fennimore, Jack (2019-07-16). "Alexis McGill Johnson: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy.com. Retrieved 2019-07-19.
  7. ↑ "Black Woman Yale Grad Is New Acting President of Planned Parenthood". Black Enterprise. 2019-07-17. Retrieved 2019-07-19.
  8. ↑ Marks, Mindy (June 25, 2018). "Yale Alumni Association Hosts Panel Discussion on Black Women, Beauty, and Perception". YaleWomen. Archived from the original on 2019-07-21. Retrieved 2019-07-20.
  9. ↑ Noel, Melissa (2022-10-05). "The Divine 9 Aims To Save The Lives Of Black Women With "Tell Somebody" Campaign". Essence. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
  10. 1 2 "Alexis McGill Johnson". othering & belonging. Archived from the original on 2019-07-21. Retrieved 2019-07-19.
  11. ↑ Bates, Karen Grigsby (2017-02-06). "New Evidence Shows There's Still Bias Against Black Natural Hair". NPR. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
  12. ↑ "Planned Parenthood Announces New Leadership". www.plannedparenthood.org. Retrieved 2019-07-19.
  13. ↑ "Team". Perception Institute. Retrieved 2019-07-20.
  14. ↑ "Alexis McGill Johnson Named Permanent President and CEO of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund". www.plannedparenthood.org. Retrieved 2020-06-26.
  15. ↑ Franklin, Jonathan (2022-03-24). "Mackenzie Scott just made the largest single donation in Planned Parenthood history". NPR. Retrieved 2026-04-27.
  16. ↑ "Biden expected to get endorsement by major abortion rights groups". POLITICO. 2023-06-22. Retrieved 2026-04-27.
  17. ↑ McCammon, Sarah (2023-11-08). "Abortion rights win big in 2023 elections, again". NPR. Retrieved 2026-04-27.
  18. ↑ Magazine, Cultured (2026-04-23). "CEO Alexis McGill Johnson on Leading Planned Parenthood Through Its 'Most Challenging Era'". Cultured Mag. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  19. ↑ McGrath, Maggie. "50 Over 50: Impact". Forbes. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
  20. ↑ "The Keepers Of The Dream Awards Dinner Was A Time Of Celebration". Essence. 2024-04-12. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
  21. ↑ "International Womens Day 2024: 30 people defending women's and LGTBQ+ rights around the world". CNN. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  22. ↑ "Recast Power List 2023: The most powerful people on race and politics". Politico. 31 March 2023. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  23. ↑ "Alexis McGill Johnson: President & CEO, Planned Parenthood". STAT. 13 March 2023. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  24. ↑ "The Root 100 – 2022's Most Influential African Americans – The Root". www.theroot.com. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
  25. ↑ "Institute for New Economic Thinking". Institute for New Economic Thinking.
  26. ↑ Read, Bridget (April 7, 2020). "How the Acting Head of Planned Parenthood Gets It Done". The Cut.
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