Dr. Paula Johnson

Paula A. Johnson is a pioneer who brings decades of experience in the fields of academic medicine, public health, and higher education. Since joining Wellesley in 2016, she has moved the College to the forefront of STEM education for women and has led the creation of the school’s strategic plan, which places inclusive excellence at the heart of the Wellesley experience.

During her tenure, the College has transformed its science facilities into a state-of-the-art Science Complex. President Johnson also significantly advanced Wellesley’s focus on global engagement, creating the Wagner Centers for Wellesley in the World and the Hillary Rodham Clinton Center for Citizenship, Leadership, and Democracy.

President Johnson has held several leadership roles in her career as a physician-scientist. Prior to joining Wellesley, she served as the Grayce A. Young Family Professor of Medicine in Women’s Health at Harvard Medical School and a professor of epidemiology at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. In addition, she founded the Connors Center for Women’s Health and Gender Biology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

President Johnson is a member of the National Academy of Medicine, which recently appointed her to its Commission on Investment Imperatives for a Healthy Nation, and of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

She has received several honorary degrees and numerous awards for her contributions to science, medicine, and public health. Recent honors include: the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health Alumni Award of Merit (2021), the Harvard Medal in recognition of extraordinary service to the university (2023), and an honorary doctor of laws degree from Princeton University (2024).

Born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., President Johnson attended Harvard University, where she earned her bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. She also trained in internal medicine and cardiovascular medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, one of the leading Harvard teaching hospitals. President Johnson has served on several national and international boards, and she currently serves on the boards of Rockefeller University, the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston.