Danielle D. Johnson

Danielle D. Johnson is the Executive Director for Science Friday, directing the planning and integration of strategic activities across the organization, including staff and Board management, partnership development, new business opportunities, and program evaluation.

She joined Science Friday in 2009. During her tenure Science Friday has gone from a popular radio program to a multimedia powerhouse known for award-winning online content and broad-platform audience and public engagement around science. In her role as Executive Director she leads a national award-winning science media news program with a weekly audience of over two million on radio and millions more online. Among other duties she writes and disseminates Science Friday’s annual strategy, directing the planning and integration of strategic activities across the organization to ensure program success with approval by stakeholders. She also produces and oversees the organization’s $3 million annual budget.

She is a co-founder and board member of the African Orphans Foundation, and founding member of the Giants Community Fund Lab. She also serves on the planning committee for The Communications Network, is a member of the New York-based Explorer’s Club, and is an experienced public speaker and science communicator.

Prior to Science Friday, Johnson worked at the LSB Leakey Foundation as the Director of Communications, and as a strategic consultant for community foundations. She has worked in nonprofits as both a project leader, communicator, and fundraiser for more than 15 years.

Johnson earned a B.A. in psychology, with a minor in anthropology, from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2003.