Joel T. Johnson, Ed.D.

Dr. Joel Johnson serves as Associate Vice President for Academic Administration & Innovation, providing strategic leadership for academic administration, institutional effectiveness, instructional innovation, and online education. He advances the quality, reach, and sustainability of the university’s academic enterprise across dual enrollment, undergraduate, graduate, and online programs.

Dr. Johnson oversees key areas including academic administration, non-traditional advising, learning design and innovation, library services, and institutional assessment and accreditation. He leads cross-functional initiatives that promote student success, strengthen operational efficiency, and expand high-quality educational delivery across modalities. His work also includes directing institutional strategy related to instructional innovation and artificial intelligence, guiding the university’s approach to emerging technologies in teaching and learning. 

In collaboration with the Provost and other university leaders, Dr. Johnson provides executive oversight of academic portfolio strategy, program development, and continuous improvement efforts to ensure relevance, competitiveness, and long-term institutional sustainability. He also plays a key role in advancing data-informed decision-making and aligning academic operations with the university’s mission and strategic priorities.

Prior to his work at Northwestern, Dr. Johnson worked for Ellucian in their Managed Services Division and at the College of St. Scholastica, where he served as the institution’s Continuous Improvement Director.

Dr. Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems from the University of Northwestern–St. Paul (MN), a master’s degree in Educational Technology Leadership from The George Washington University (DC), and a doctoral degree from the University of Glasgow (Scotland).