Biography of Harry Johns

Since his arrival, he has reorganized the national staff and launched new initiatives to support the cause: determination of the organization’s nationwide mission focus for the future, a campaign to raise concern about Alzheimer’s to levels commensurate with the impact of the disease and to raise awareness of the Association’s role in care, support and research. He has also introduced an effort to accelerate progress by testing Association promotion of participation in clinical studies.

Prior to joining the Alzheimer’s Association, Johns spent more than 22 years in various positions with the American Cancer Society (ACS), the largest non-profit health organization in the United States, where he was a member of their senior management team since 1994. In his final role at ACS, as executive vice president for strategic initiatives and a member of the four person executive team, he was responsible for nationwide strategic directions, including information delivery, community programs, advocacy and fundraising. He was also responsible for enterprise-wide marketing, communications and information technology.

During his tenure at ACS, he was recognized for his innovation. He initiated the first major paid advertising campaign for a voluntary health agency, which won an Effie from the American Marketing Association. He opened the first large-scale 24/7 information center in the voluntary health sector, acknowledged as a model by the authors of the One-to-One Marketing series; and launched a new web site recognized by Forbes for its extensive package of cancer information, decision tools and clinical trials information. He also oversaw significant advances in the advocacy capacity and outcomes of the organization as well as substantial increases in income.

Johns earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.

The Alzheimer’s Association is dedicated to finding prevention methods, treatments and an eventual cure for Alzheimer’s. For more than 25 years, the donor-supported Alzheimer’s Association has provided reliable information and care consultation, created supportive services for families and people living with the disease, increased funding for research, and influenced public policy changes.