Laura Perry Johnson, Associate Dean for Extension, University of Georgia
Saturday Speaker – Leadership Presentation

Laura Perry Johnson is Associate Dean of University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, the outreach arm of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. UGA Extension is a federal, state and local partnership that makes an impact at the county level, enacting the university’s research discoveries to foster a healthy and prosperous Georgia for farmers, families and communities.

Johnson has helped to facilitate UGA Extension’s outreach initiatives for more than 30 years, including her current tenure as head of the organization. UGA Extension’s Agriculture and Natural Resources, Family and Consumer Sciences, and 4-H Youth Development programs propel the state’s economically important industries and serve the needs of residents across generations. During her time as head of the organization, both rural and urban programs have flourished, communication and funding have increased, and impact assessments have hit major strides.

Johnson has won numerous honors, including the National Annie E. Casey Award, the National 4-H Program of Distinction, and the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences’ Diversity Award. In addition to the continuous in-state presentations that have come to define her career in outreach, Johnson has been invited to speak at dozens of national conferences, including talks on Extension’s relevance in the 21st century, AmeriCorps VISTA programs, leveraging county dollars and diversifying resources, and finding success in volunteer-led organizations. She co-chaired the strategic planning process for the college and serves in a leadership capacity in numerous organizations.

Johnson began working with UGA Extension as the statewide 4-H livestock specialist in 1993. Through her work with Georgia 4-H, Johnson realized her passion for public service, and the state’s 4-H livestock and horse programs thrived as a result. While in this position, Johnson was recognized with the Outstanding New State Staff Award from the Georgia Association of 4-H Agents, and she went on to become the 4-H program development coordinator for UGA Extension’s Southwest District in 2002. From there, she was appointed to lead the Southwest District Extension programs for 41 counties, comprising the biggest row crop agriculture area of Georgia. Under Johnson’s direction, the Southwest Districttopped the state in new agent recruits and increased both state and county funding. She was appointed director of UGA Extension in 2014 and began leading the organization at the start of the following year.

Johnson is a three-time graduate of the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. She has earned bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in animal science, specializing in meat and muscle biology. As a part of a seventh-generation cattle and row crop farm in Moultrie, Georgia, agriculture has always been a part of her life. Laura and her husband Scott have two young adult children, Bill and Libba, both of whom work in agricultural related careers.