Paula Johnson facts for kids

Paula Adina Johnson (born in 1959) is an American doctor who specializes in heart health, called a cardiologist. She is currently the president of Wellesley College, a famous women's college. She made history as the first Black woman to lead Wellesley College.

Before becoming president, Dr. Johnson started and led an important center for women's health. This was the Mary Horrigan Connors Center for Women's Health & Gender Biology. She also served as the Chief of the Division of Women's Health at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Early Life and Education

Paula Johnson grew up in New York, specifically in Brooklyn. She shared that her mother always encouraged her and her sister to be well-educated. Her mother also taught them to think for themselves. This helped Dr. Johnson explore new ideas, especially in women's health.

She finished high school at Samuel J. Tilden High School in Brooklyn. Then, she went to Radcliffe College, where she studied biology and graduated in 1980. After that, she attended Harvard Medical School. She also studied public health at the Harvard School of Public Health. In 1985, she earned two degrees from Harvard: a medical doctor's degree (M.D.) and a master's in public health (MPH).

Medical Career and Focus

After finishing her studies, Dr. Johnson began training at Brigham and Women's Hospital. She decided to focus on cardiology, which is the study of the heart. In 1990, she became the first African American to hold the position of chief medical resident at the hospital. This was a very important leadership role.

Dr. Johnson worked in the hospital's heart transplant unit. She also managed the quality of care for patients. As the chief of the Division of Women's Health, she worked to make sure women could get good heart care. She also focused on helping and teaching African-American women. This was important because they are more likely to die from cardiovascular disease (heart disease) than white women.

Dr. Johnson was a professor at Harvard Medical School. Her special professorship was named after her mother, Grace A. Young. She was also a professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She is a member of the National Academy of Medicine, which is a very respected group of health experts. The National Library of Medicine has recognized her as a national leader in medicine.

Leading Wellesley College

Paula Johnson started her role as president of Wellesley College on July 1, 2016. She continues to lead the college today.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Dr. Johnson helped Massachusetts Governor Baker. She joined a group that worked on plans to safely reopen college campuses. In June 2020, she also took part in an online discussion. She talked about how COVID-19 showed and made worse the differences in health care for different racial groups. She discussed this with U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley and Dr. Mary Travis Bassett.

In 2021, Dr. Johnson was chosen to join the board of directors at Abiomed, a medical device company. In 2023, she was also appointed to the board of directors at Johnson & Johnson, a large health care company.

Personal Life

Dr. Johnson lives in Wellesley, Massachusetts, with her family. She is married to Robert Sands, who is also a doctor specializing in joint and muscle conditions, called a rheumatologist. They have a son and a daughter.