Angelica Perez Johnston

Biography

Perez-Johnston comes to CMU from Community College of Allegheny County, Pittsburgh, where she has served as Chief DEI Officer since July 2021. Prior to that, she was the director of IDEAS (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access & Social Justice) at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa. Additionally, she served as director of First Year Experience and Transition Programs at Thiel College in Greenville, Pa., and held roles in student-facing services at Thiel and Clarion University, Clarion, Pa., among several other higher education roles. She is a native of Clarion County.

She earned her associate’s degree in paralegal studies at Bradford School of Business, Pittsburgh, and graduated with her bachelor’s degree from Edinboro University in Edinboro, Pa., in psychology with a developmental concentration. Perez-Johnston earned her master’s degree in counseling from Edinboro before going on to receive her doctorate in public administration from West Chester University in West Chester, Pa.

Perez-Johnston said that at CMU, she will prioritize increasing the capacity for the work of diversity, equity, and inclusion through embedding equity practices throughout CFA, as well as working with those who serve in like roles on the entire campus to become a “hub for students, faculty and staff in a real, intentional way.”