about us
meet our CEO
April Johnson
April Johnson is a proven executive leader with a comprehensive background in community-based and statewide health and human services in the Pacific Northwest.
A native of Seattle, Washington, Ms. Johnson moved to Portland in 1990. Ms. Johnson founded Youth Unlimited in 2016, a Therapeutic Foster Care and Advocacy Corporation, to address the distressed foster care system in Oregon, which provides behavior management and support services to at-risk children and young adults. The organization’s mission is to build on the strengths of children, youth, and families so they find safety, hope, and success in life.
Her most recent professional experience includes holding multiple leadership roles with Volunteers of America Oregon, serving as Interim Director for their domestic violence program (Home Free) and Development Officer, overseeing the development of corporate grants. During her time with the organization, Ms. Johnson raised more than $700K in revenue to fund programs serving children, youth, and families.
Prior to joining Volunteers of America, Ms. Johnson served as the Health Equity Workforce Executive for the Oregon Health Authority. In that role, she implemented the statewide Health Equity Workforce Program and developed quality assurance standards for Coordinated Care Organizations. She also served as a policy analyst where she managed statewide behavioral health delivery systems and developed a $36 million dollar block grant application that funded behavioral health prevention, treatment and recovery support services for adults, children and families.
Ms. Johnson possesses a passion and commitment to academic achievement and workforce development for the African American community. Her career accomplishments include directing over $1.5 million grant funding to build a robust African American behavioral health system which she provided 30 full-ride scholarships for African American students and created the African American Behavioral Health Coalition and the African American Youth Coalition at Highland Christian Center in Portland. The center provides substance abuse prevention education among youth ages 16 to 25. Each of these initiatives are still in place today.
Leveraging deep ties to the community, Ms. Johnson serves as a member (and former Chair) of the Multnomah County Public Health Advisory Board as well as on the City of Fairview's City Council Budget Advisory Committee.
As an outdoor enthusiast, Ms. Johnson served as a Boy Scouts troop leader for 10 years and is currently part of the African American Outdoor Association where she serves as a camp cook and hike leader. As the "hostess with the mostess", she hosts an annual Louisiana Gumbo/Bid Whiz card party over Thanksgiving weekend for her family and friends.
She earned a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Phoenix, a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice Administration from Portland State University and a Project Management Certificate from Willamette University. She currently resides in the city of Fairview.
