Dr. Wanda L. Johnson is a scholar-practitioner whose research examines student success, belonging, and the lived experiences of Black women in higher education. Grounded in Black Feminist Thought, Endarkened Feminist Epistemology, and qualitative inquiry, her scholarship explores how identity, institutional culture, and community shape students' educational experiences. She is particularly interested in translating research into practice to inform institutional policies, programs, and strategies that promote student success and organizational effectiveness.

Dr. Johnson currently serves as an Academic Advisor II in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Georgia. Her career in higher education includes leadership roles in academic advising, student affairs, and strategic initiatives focused on student success, assessment, and institutional improvement. She previously served as Director of Multicultural Services and Programs at the University of Georgia and as Academic Advisor III at Georgia College & State University.

She earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Georgia State University, a Master of Science in Higher Education Administration from Drexel University, and a Doctor of Education in Student Affairs Leadership from University of Georgia in 2023.

Her award-winning dissertation, Still, I Rise: Using Sista Circles to Explore the Lived Experiences of Black Women Who Attend(ed) Historically White Institutions as Undergraduates, received the 2024 Dissertation of the Year Award from the Southern Association for College Student Affairs (SACSA). Employing Sista Circle methodology and critical narrative inquiry, the study examined how Black undergraduate women experienced success, support, and belonging while navigating historically White institutions.

Dr. Johnson's scholarship has been recognized through the 2024 SACSA Dissertation of the Year Award, and the University of Georgia Miller‑Winston Research Award. She is also a graduate of the 2024 ACPA Paul Shang Institute for Aspiring Student Affairs Officers.

Through her scholarship, teaching, presentations, and professional service, Dr. Johnson seeks to bridge research and practice by producing knowledge that strengthens institutions and improves the educational experiences of students.