Providing effective, timely, and fun learning opportunities for our public power members is a cornerstone of NWPPA’s mission. Throughout our 85-year history, we have been able to continuously deliver high-level programs because of the knowledge, character, and leadership of our instructors. While their names and faces may be familiar, we realize many of our members probably don’t know much about these fabulous, multifaceted individuals. To recognize their contributions and help you get to know them better, we will feature them from time to time in the Bulletin. In this edition, we highlight Ginger Johnson, author and human connection expert.

Johnson started out in public schools as a substitute and middle school art teacher. She’s been a firefighter, retail store manager, bakery counter attendant, and more. She has also sung the American and Canadian national anthems at sporting events.

“Life holds a lot of magic and infinite possibilities,” Johnson said. “I’ve enjoyed experimenting, exploring, and always evolving with opportunity. Following purposeful work with good humans and serving people in a wide variety of ways has been my guide.”

Johnson said all her work has had “the same consistent golden thread,” that thread being education.

“That’s what led me to start my own business 20-plus years ago, change, and keep growing,” she said.

Now, deep into the study of human connection, Johnson shares her knowledge during keynotes, workshops, retreats, and special events. Last month, she opened NWPPA’s Northwest Innovations in Communications Conference with her interactive keynote, “The Joy of Belonging Meets the ZYXs of Connection,” and she looks forward to teaching NWPPA’s new Communicators Series online in January.

“As a word lover and being fascinated by where our word choices come from, cracking the communication egg of the language of connection really lights me up,” Johnson said. “To provide angles and ideas—new perspectives—and to foster meaningful conversations to help people flip on their own light switches is powerful and fun.”

Beyond teaching, Johnson also enjoys hosting dinner parties, reading, playing with her four-legged kids and her husband, taking a cold plunge or doing anything that involves water or snow, strengthening her body, and getting to know her neighbors.