Advocacy as a Path to Stewardship

Dennis Johnson

MPA, Executive VP for Policy and Advocacy of Children’s Health Fund

Description

Dennis Johnson will discuss his career at the nexus of policy, politics and advocacy as it relates to public education (past) and health (present). This has formed a perspective on children and, particularly, about our collective responsibility to maintain and strengthen a social framework to support opportunity and upward mobility for economically disadvantaged children. As the director for public policy, government affairs and advocacy agendas for the Children's Health Fund (CHF), Mr. Johnson also coordinates relationships with a broad spectrum of public officials, public and private sector entities, advocacy groups, and health providers in support of the CHF work.

When a natural disaster or terror attack hits, children are the hardest hit. Families often need years to recover the physical, environmental and economic damage it wreaks. Children and families living in poverty almost always require special support to recover from the damage and the trauma. Whether it's a flood, a hurricane or an epidemic, the CHF is committed to responding quickly and being there, no matter how long the road to recovery may be, even for years after initially responding to a crisis. Because the CHF is mobile, they hold the flexibility to go into rural and urban communities, as well as disaster and public health situations—anywhere that care is needed the most. CHF also collaborates with the National Center for Disaster Preparedness (NCDP) at Columbia University's Earth Institute to help document and asses the impact of major disasters on children and the communities they live in.

Bio

Dennis Johnson serves on the executive team at the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation as Managing Director for Strategy and Evaluation. The MCHF mission is to improve the health and wellness of economically disadvantaged and underserved populations in New York State. Mr. Johnson develops and directs the foundation's strategic planning and evaluation framework to inform and support effective, impactful grant-making.

Previously, Mr. Johnson was Executive Vice-President for Government Affairs at Children's Health Fund, a non-profit organization that initiates and supports innovative pediatric programs and policies designed to meet the complex health care needs of medically underserved, homeless and economically-disadvantaged children. Mr. Johnson was also Policy Director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University’s Earth Institute.

For 27 years, Mr. Johnson directed the Fund's public policy, government affairs and advocacy agendas and coordinated the Fund's relationship with a broad spectrum of public officials, public and private sector entities, advocacy groups and health provider organizations. During his tenure, Mr. Johnson also served as Vice President of External Affairs, Senior Director, Policy and Planning and interim director of the Fund's national network of mobile-based pediatric programs.

Before joining Children's Health Fund, Mr. Johnson was a senior program officer at the Fund for New York City Public Education and a research analyst at the Public Policy Institute of the Business Council of New York State.

Mr. Johnson received his Bachelor's Degree from the University of Pennsylvania and his Master's Degree in Political Management from the Graduate School of Political Management at Baruch College.