Brandy Johnson Chief People Officer Brandy Johnson is chief people officer for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, where she helps shape the organization’s workforce culture and drives initiatives that strengthen employee engagement, leadership development, and organizational effectiveness. Prior to joining the Kauffman Foundation, Johnson served as vice president of human resources at Compass Minerals, where she was responsible for talent management, organizational design, and people strategy. In that role, she provided executive leadership across global business units and corporate functions, overseeing comprehensive HR strategy and service delivery. Prior to that with PPG Industries, she also led people operations across North America, South America, and EMEA, building scalable systems to support diverse workforces and aligning HR practices with global business priorities. Earlier in her career, Johnson served in the United States Army as an ordnance officer, where she developed her foundation in leadership, logistics, and operations management. Her military service instilled in her a strong sense of discipline, resilience, and commitment to team success — qualities that continue to inform her leadership approach today. She has received nominations for the Athena Young Professional Award and serves on various boards, including the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City and Central Exchange. Johnson is deeply committed to mentorship and actively contributes to the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), helping to advance the HR profession and support the next generation of leaders. Johnson earned a Master of Business Administration from Webster University and a bachelor’s degree from Lincoln University of Missouri.