She graduated from James Madison University[1] with a Bachelor of Science in Fine Art and Education.

[3] Johnson attended a number of workshops and residences, including: Provincetown Fine Arts Workcenter, Tin House Summer Workshops, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, and Hedgebrook.

"[4] In 2021, Henry Holt published Johnson's debut collection, My Monticello, five short stories and a novella, all set in Virginia, which received positive reviews from The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, and NPR, among other publications.

The New York Times listed My Monticello as one of the 10 best fiction books of 2021[5] and as a "notable book of the year"[6] and The Washington Post and NPR also similarly listed Johnson's work as notable and well-loved fiction works[7][8] of the year.

[20] Johnson's work is mostly set in and around Charlottesville, Virginia, and it explores themes such as racial and environmental anxieties, troubled histories, and complicated notions of home.