
LOS ANGELES, CA (February 4, 2025) – United Way of Greater Los Angeles today announced the appointment of Derric J. Johnson as the vice president of impact and equity. Johnson assumes his new role today and will oversee the organization’s community impact initiatives, driving scalable solutions for financial security and community resiliency across Los Angeles County, including overcoming cycles of poverty and homelessness and supporting long-term recovery and rebuilding from the recent wildfires.
Johnson brings over a decade of leadership experience in the non-profit and public sectors with countywide responsibilities, with a strong focus on advancing justice for vulnerable populations and promoting systemic change so that all people can thrive.
“We are thrilled to welcome Derric to our team,” said Elise Buik, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Los Angeles. “His expertise and passion for social justice will be invaluable as we support community members with their pressing needs and longer-term financial resiliency.”
Johnson most recently served as chief programs and policy officer at United Friends of the Children, leading program design and evaluation strategies for social justice and positive youth development. He was founding director for the Equity & Justice Institute at the Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences, where he scaled operations of social justice programing into a nationally replicated model. His constituent advocacy work spanned research, legislative, policy and communication strategies as senior justice deputy, Second District, with the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. As the vice president of programs and partnerships for the MLK Community Health Foundation, he developed key community stakeholder partnerships and conducted environmental scans for models and projects to be adopted in Watts to address the specific needs of the community.
Earlier in his career, Johnson served as a strategist for the California Community Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
He will continue to serve on the boards of the MLK Health and Wellness Community Development Corporation and the AWOKE Foundation. Johnson is also a commissioner, Second District, and vice president of the LA County Commission on Human Relations. His previous board appointments include United Friends of the Children, Children’s Defense Fund-CA, Pitzer College Alumni Board, Peace4Kids and Brilliant Corners.
“We are in a historic time that calls for commitment, leadership and collective impact,” said Johnson. “I am honored to be presented with this opportunity and responsibility with United Way at a moment when building progressive movement is more important than ever. I look forward to the great work ahead, partnering with the communities across Los Angeles to organize for resilience and restoration.”
In 2020, Johnson was honored by the City of Santa Monica’s Government Alliance on Race and Equity for his exceptional community service and leadership. He is a recipient of the National Urban Fellowship and earned his master of public administration from Baruch College-City University of New York. He also holds a master of human and organizational development from Azusa Pacific University and a bachelor of arts degree from Pitzer College.
About United Way of Greater Los Angeles
United Way of Greater Los Angeles is one of LA’s most trusted nonprofits, mobilizing neighbors and investments to support each other in a crisis and build a future where all people can thrive. www.unitedwayla.org
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