DECATUR, Ill. – Millikin University welcomes Alexis McGill Johnson, President & CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, to campus on Wednesday, Sept. 17, at 6 p.m. for a Civic Discourse Event on the “Tales of Misogyny and Sexism.” Her address will take place in the University Commons’ Bob & Debi Johnston Banquet Rooms and is free and open to the public.
McGill Johnson is President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), a national nonprofit organization that is the country's most trusted name in sexual and reproductive health and rights. Through a network of separately incorporated affiliates, Planned Parenthood health centers provide vital health care to more than 2 million people each year at nearly 600 health centers across the country, so that everyone — no matter who they are, where they live, or how much money they make — can get supportive, high-quality health care to live full, healthy lives. She is also the President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, a national reproductive health and rights advocacy organization.
“We are thrilled to welcome Alexis McGill Johnson to our campus. Her leadership, advocacy, and commitment to advancing equity and justice make her an inspiring voice for our students, faculty, and community,” said Associate Dean and Director of Student Success Dr. Brandon Cockburn. “Having her share her insights with us is not only an honor but also an invaluable opportunity to spark meaningful dialogue and learning across Millikin.”
McGill Johnson is a longstanding champion for social and racial justice, a respected social and cultural organizer, and a tireless advocate for reproductive rights and access to high-quality, affordable health care. She has been part of Planned Parenthood’s leadership for more than 15 years as a former PPFA board chair and a Planned Parenthood Action Fund board member. Since taking leadership, she has led the organization through challenges — from its exclusion from Title X to the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade.
She also brings a researcher’s lens to the justice issues of our time. A thought leader on reproductive freedom, racial justice, and implicit bias, she is a frequent commentator in the press and keynote speaker, a founder of the Culture Group and the co-founder and former co-director of the Perception Institute — a consortium of researchers, advocates, and strategists who translate cutting edge mind science research on race, gender, ethnic, and other identities into solutions that reduce bias and discrimination, and promote belonging.
McGill Johnson currently serves on the boards of Color of Change and the Leadership Conference for Civil and Human Rights. Alexis has a B.A. in Politics from Princeton University, an M.A. in Political Science from Yale University, and taught Political Science at Yale and Wesleyan Universities.
