Stephanie Michelle Johnson (she/her)  is an esteemed educator with eighteen years of service in the South Carolina public school system. Currently serving as a Reading Interventionist at HB Rhame Elementary in Columbia, SC, Stephanie brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to her work.

As a National Board Certified Teacher in Early/Middle Childhood Literacy, Stephanie exemplifies a steadfast commitment to educational excellence. Her leadership extends beyond the classroom, evidenced by her eight-year tenure on the Executive Board of The South Carolina Education Association. She played a pivotal role in the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Task Force in 2023, contributing to shaping policy aimed at enhancing the teaching profession for student learning. Stephanie is also a graduate of the South Carolina Department of Education Foundations in School Leadership Program and was recognized as a Presidential Award of Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching state finalist in 2010.

Stephanie serves as the NEA Director for the National Education Association, the largest labor union representing public school teachers and support personnel in the United States. She is actively involved in NEA, previously chairing the Women’s Issues Committee and contributing significantly to committees focused on racial and social justice, leadership, and education policy.

Stephanie’s contributions to education have garnered notable recognition, including the 2024 Veteran Teacher Award, the 2017 Award for Distinguished Alumni from the University of South Carolina College of Education, and the Fulbright for Global Classrooms Award in 2023, which enabled her to travel to Uruguay. She is among a select few teachers nationwide to receive the 2017 Horace Mann Award for Teaching Excellence and the NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence.

Stephanie earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of South Carolina and a master’s degree in Executive Leadership from Gardner-Webb University. Her commitment to literacy led her to earn an Early Literacy Assessment and Strategies for Reading endorsement from Clemson University.