The only female among five candidates running for the seat at the Democratic convention, Johnson won the most support from delegates, finishing just one vote short of winning the nomination outright.

Johnson is a lesbian and served as one of three openly LGBT members of the Utah legislature, alongside Senator Scott McCoy and Rep. Jackie Biskupski.

During her 29 months as executive director, SC Equality acquired the second pro-equality license plate in the Nation, created a PAC and defeated an anti-transgender health care bill.

In May 2013, Johnson became the Vice President of External Affairs for Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho and later resigned on March 28, 2014, to travel internationally and consult with NGOs abroad.

In May 2014, she traveled to Thailand, providing non-profit consulting to a Dhammakaya Buddhist Monk and in November 2014, Johnson became State Program Manager for the South Carolina Chapter of Experience Works, formerly Green Thumb, which until 2017 was the largest SCSEP grantee of DOL funding under the Older Americans Act.