Derrick Johnson

About

Derrick Johnson is a skilled association executive with over 15 years of driving global business development and creative strategy. As a transformational leader, he has coached and optimized the contributions of over 30 cross-functional teams and hundreds of people, developing sustainable roadmaps for organizational growth. As a millennial with a passion for leveraging technology to navigate disruption, Derrick provides a solid, yet unique, perspective into the domain of change management and the future of associations.

Derrick received his B.A. in Music Education from the University of Florida, where he studied flute and percussion. After graduating in 2008, he worked with the National Association for Gifted Children as the Director of Professional Development and Meetings pioneering virtual learning initiatives for K-12 educators. In 2013, Derrick received the Innovator of the Year Award from Kratos Solutions for his creative enhancements to learning programs for the US Department of Education. In mid-2013, Derrick joined the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) to help support their northeastern members to develop unique event experiences. He expanded his network, partnership development skills, and collaborated with Fortune 500 CEOs to lead million-dollar event initiatives.

After YPO, Derrick joined The Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers (CIAB), a Washington DC trade association for top global commercial insurance and employee benefits intermediaries. To enhance the member experience and manifest innovation, Derrick creatively infused augmented and virtual reality into multiple CIAB meetings and communication platforms. Also while at CIAB, Derrick invested in his professional growth by achieving an Executive Certificate in Artificial Intelligence from MIT, Digital Event Strategist Certification, and M.S. in Business Management and Leadership from Western Governors University. He later applied his knowledge and lead the adoption of robotics and artificial intelligence at CIAB to help support staffing concerns.

In late 2019, Derrick’s motivation to support individuals in need manifested his next role as Executive Director of the National Behavioral Intervention Team Association. Though his tenure was brief, Derrick’s impact was vast. He created the association’s first strategic and business plans, increased member engagement by 15%, and developed a community-centric strategy for operating during COVID-19.

Today, Derrick serves as an independent consultant, sits on three global association boards of directors (PCMA, LGBT MPA, and LGBA) and contributes thought leadership as a public speaker on the future of associations and businesses, continuous professional development, and the evolution of technology. In Derrick’s free time, he captains a flag football team part of the DC Gay Flag Football League.