Ms. Johnson brings nearly 25 years of experience at CMS and more than 30 years in public health policy and administration to her role leading the intersection of health policy and technology at Acentra Health. In 2025, Ms. Johnson spearheaded the launch of the Safe AI in Medicaid Alliance, a first-of-its-kind initiative establishing a standardized framework for ethical, secure and effective use of AI in Medicaid programs. The initiative has convened more than 400 members across 36 states and one U.S. territory. She serves as chair of the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, advising Congress on policies that affect the funding and modernization of Medicaid programs. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Ms. Johnson led the development of the State Medicaid & CHIP Telehealth Toolkit at IBM Watson Health, enabling states to rapidly scale digital care delivery for vulnerable populations. She also chairs the Cook County Health Foundation and serves on the board of the Illinois Public Health Institute, and received the “Velton Lacefield Award” from Anew: Building Beyond Violence and Abuse for her commitment to supporting survivors of domestic violence.
