{{Short description|American business executive}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Marva Johnson | office = President of Florida A&M University | succeeded = Timothy L. Beard (interim) | term_start = May 2025 | education = Georgetown University<br>Emory University<br>Georgia State University }}
'''Marva Johnson''' is an American business executive and education policy official who was appointed president of Florida A&M University in May 2025. She previously served as chair of the Florida Board of Education from 2015 to 2017 and held roles in the cable and telecommunications industry, as well as several appointed positions under Florida governors Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis.
== Early life and education == Johnson was raised in Tampa Bay.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Marva |date=2025 |title=Biography |url=https://www.famu.edu/about-famu/leadership/office-of-the-president/presidential-search/pdf/bio-MarvaJohnson.pdf |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=Florida A&M University |archive-date=2025-05-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250509183422/https://www.famu.edu/about-famu/leadership/office-of-the-president/presidential-search/pdf/bio-MarvaJohnson.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> She earned a B.S. in business administration from Georgetown University.<ref name=":5" /> She completed a M.B.A. at Emory University Goizueta Business School.<ref name=":5" /> Johnson earned a J.D. from Georgia State University College of Law. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha.<ref name=":5" />
== Career == Florida governor Rick Scott appointed Johnson to the Florida Board of Education (SBE) for a term beginning March 26, 2014, and ending December 31, 2017.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Solodev |date=May 20, 2015 |title=State Board of Education Elects Marva Johnson as Chair |url=https://www.fldoe.org/newsroom/latest-news/2010375-state-board-of-education-elects-marva-johnson-as-chair.stml |access-date=2025-05-18 |website=Florida Department of Education |language=en |archive-date=2025-05-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250519110543/https://www.fldoe.org/newsroom/latest-news/2010375-state-board-of-education-elects-marva-johnson-as-chair.stml |url-status=live }}</ref> At that time, she was a corporate vice president for Bright House Networks.<ref name=":1" /> On May 20, 2015, the SBE elected Marva Johnson as its next chair.<ref name=":1" /> She succeeded chair Gary Chartrand.<ref name=":1" /> Johnson spent eight years on board.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Moody |first=Josh |date=May 16, 2025 |title=Florida A&M Hires DeSantis Ally as President |url=https://www.insidehighered.com/news/governance/executive-leadership/2025/05/16/florida-am-hires-desantis-ally-president |access-date=2025-05-18 |website=Inside Higher Ed |language=en |archive-date=2025-05-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250518162158/https://www.insidehighered.com/news/governance/executive-leadership/2025/05/16/florida-am-hires-desantis-ally-president |url-status=live }}</ref>
In 2017, Johnson served on the Florida Constitution Revision Commission.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Solochek |first=Jeffrey S. |date=October 31, 2017 |title=Florida Board of Education chairwoman seeks to add private schools to public education portion of constitution |url=https://www.tampabay.com/blogs/gradebook/2017/10/31/florida-board-of-education-chairwoman-seeks-to-add-private-schools-to-public-education-portion-of-constitution/ |access-date=2025-05-18 |website=Tampa Bay Times |language=en |archive-date=2025-05-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250520183239/https://www.tampabay.com/blogs/gradebook/2017/10/31/florida-board-of-education-chairwoman-seeks-to-add-private-schools-to-public-education-portion-of-constitution/ |url-status=live }}</ref> She proposed an amendment that sought to exempt educational programs from the constitutional prohibition against using state money in support of religious activities and institutions.<ref name=":3" /> Johnson specified that public funds should be used for private schools "in the event that a student's right to an education that meets his or her individual needs and learning differences" as provided in another section that she had recommended.<ref name=":3" /> That recommended section stated a public school student is entitled to "an education that meets individual needs and learning differences and to use public funding to attend a non-public school if those needs and differences cannot be completely met and accommodated by the student's zoned public school."<ref name=":3" />
Johnson has held appointed positions under both the Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis administrations.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Gancarski |first=A. G. |date=2020-07-02 |title=Marva Johnson to boost Republican National Convention host committee |url=https://floridapolitics.com/archives/345829-marva-johnson-rnc-host/ |access-date=2025-05-18 |website=Florida Politics |language=en-US}}</ref> She served as a co-chair on one of DeSantis' transition committees.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Jean |first=Tarah |title='Bold vision': Johnson tapped as FAMU president after 'overwhelmingly negative' feedback |url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/local/famu-news/2025/05/16/famu-board-selects-marva-johnson-to-serve-as-new-university-president-desantis/83603447007/ |access-date=2025-05-18 |website=Tallahassee Democrat |language=en-US}}</ref>
As of July 2, 2020, Johnson was a government affairs consultant for Charter Communications.<ref name=":4" /> By May 2025, she was serving as group vice president of the internet and cable TV at Charter.<ref name=":0" /> As of July 2, 2020, Johnson also served on the Enterprise Florida Board.<ref name=":4" /> The Jacksonville 2020 Host Committee announced on Thursday, July 2, 2020, that Marva Johnson would be joining the larger committee to help with planning the Republican National Convention.<ref name=":4" />
On May 16, 2025, Florida A&M University's Board of Trustees voted 8 to 4 to hire Johnson as president.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> Her appointment as president of Florida A&M University is subject to confirmation by the Florida Board of Governors.<ref name=":0" /> She is the second woman in university history to be named president of FAMU.<ref name=":0" /> Johnson succeeds Larry Robinson, who led the university from 2017 to 2024 and resigned.<ref name=":2" />
== Personal life == Johnson lives in Winter Park, Florida.<ref name=":0" /> In 2015, Johnson was a member of the National Board of Women in Cable and Telecommunications.<ref name=":1" /> She is a member of the advisory board for Rollins College's Crummer Center for Leadership Development.<ref name=":1" /> Johnson was a member of the African American Women Technology Caucus.<ref name=":1" /> She has mentored for Bright House Networks Women's Leadership Circle.<ref name=":1" />
== References == {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Marva}} Category:Living people Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:Businesspeople from Tampa, Florida Category:Alpha Kappa Alpha members Category:Georgetown University alumni Category:Goizueta Business School alumni Category:Georgia State University College of Law alumni Category:21st-century African-American businesspeople Category:21st-century African-American women Category:Women in Florida politics Category:School board members in Florida Category:African-American school board members Category:African-American people in Florida politics Category:People from Winter Park, Florida Category:Presidents of Florida A&M University Category:Women heads of universities and colleges Category:African-American women academic administrators Category:American women academic administrators Category:African-American academic administrators Category:Year of birth missing (living people)