Amanda Johnson serves as Executive Director of Provost Initiatives in the Academic Enterprise at Arizona State University. Working in close collaboration with the Executive Vice President and University Provost, the provost’s leadership team, and colleagues across the ASU enterprise, Johnson designs and advances the operational structures, partnerships, and practices that support the Academic Enterprise’s growing portfolio of high-impact initiatives and special projects. With over a decade of experience in higher education, she operates strategically within ASU’s complex, matrixed environment to move institutional priorities from concept to execution.
In her current role, Johnson plays a central role in launching and shaping ASU’s Institute of Politics (IOP), a flagship initiative focused on preparing the next generation of civic leaders through nonpartisan engagement, public service education, and experiential learning. She also supports the university’s PROMOTE initiative, led by the Office of the University Provost, which advances faculty excellence by identifying and coordinating nominations for highly prestigious national and international awards, including honors from the National Academies. Earlier in her tenure within the Academic Enterprise, Johnson contributed to the formative stages of ASU Health, helping lay operational and organizational groundwork during its infancy as a university-wide priority.
Prior to joining the Academic Enterprise, Johnson served as Senior Director in the Office of Enterprise Development, where she worked alongside ASU’s executive leadership team to establish strategic connections and advance partnership opportunities at the C-suite level.
Before that, she served as Senior Director in the Office of the President, working closely with the ASU President and executive leadership to advance enterprise-level initiatives, cultivate business development opportunities, and design and oversee daily internal operations, including management of the presidential administrative support team.
Johnson began her career at ASU in the Knowledge Enterprise, where she served as Associate Director, supporting the Executive Vice President and Chief Research and Innovation Officer. In that role, she managed presidential projects and helped establish operational frameworks to advance ASU’s strategic portfolios in research, innovation, enterprise partnerships, entrepreneurship, and economic development.
Johnson is deeply committed to service and leadership development and is an active member of Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) and ASU’s Commission for the Status of Women (CSW).