"Believe in yourself and anything can happen!"

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Children’s author and educator, Dr. Kimberly P. Johnson grew up in Shelby, NC. She is married to Jeff Johnson who retired from the United States Air Force after 22 years of service and has 7-year-old twin daughters, Jessie and Allie. She is the author of 28 children’s books. Dr. Kimberly received her Doctorate in Curriculum, Teaching, and Leadership from Northeastern University in Boston, Ma. She holds a master’s degree from Clemson University, in Youth Development and Leadership. Dr. Kimberly has an Early Childhood Education Degree and a Communications Degree from UNC- Chapel Hill. She completed her post-doctorate work in the Advanced Leadership Program at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education. She completed a certificate in Diversity and Inclusion at Cornell University and is applying for her certification as a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). 

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Dr. Kimberly is a creative thinker and has a passion for teaching and helping others. She is currently a faculty member at Clemson University and teaches Creative Activities for Youth, Designing Effective Youth Programs, Youth and Family, and Working with Diverse Youth. Dr. Kimberly is a course facilitator for Leading Learning, Managing Evidence and Leading with Equity and Excellence courses at Harvard University in the Graduate School of Education. 

She has received numerous Community awards to include the Paul Harris Fellow Award given by Rotary International for her work in literacy, the York County Citizen of the year Award, the Walker Solomon Award from the South Carolina Educators Association, the Omega Psi Phi Perseverance Award, the Carl Carpenter Gold Heart Award for Community and Educational Contributions and the National Heritage Award. 

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She has been the guest reader for President and Mrs. George Bush at the White House for the Annual Easter Egg Roll. She has been on the Today Show in New York City, interviewed by the London Times and the Tokyo Shimbun newspapers. She is the author of the book, No Fear for Freedom: The Story of the Friendship 9. This work gained national and international recognition when she helped spearheaded the efforts to have the sentences overturned for The Friendship 9, who conducted a sit-in in 1961 at a segregated lunch counter in Rock Hill, SC. 

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Her most recent book, H.O.M.E. Hear Our Message Everyone – People Need a Home. It is a book that she co-wrote with elementary and middle school students from ACE Academy Charter School where she works as the creative curriculum specialist. The book is intended to bring more awareness to homelessness and some of its perils. They will use this book to raise money for non-profits focused on this important topic. 

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Dr. Kimberly is an Ambassador for The King Center in Atlanta and a program collaborator for Dr. Bernice A. King, the last living daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. They have co-written a book together called, “It Starts with Me”. Dr. Kimberly is proud to be a former Head Start Kid! 

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She is a member of the Rock Hill Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated. Above all of her accomplishments she says that the greatest joy is knowing that her grandparents taught her what good character looks like and raised her to believe in God and in self!