Introduction
Marlene Johnson (born January 11, 1946) was the 42nd lieutenant governor of Minnesota and the first woman to hold that office. She was elected as the running mate of Governor Rudy Perpich, and served from 1983 to 1991.
Johnson was born and raised in Braham, Minnesota.
Lieutenant governor and aftermath
As lieutenant governor, Johnson focused on strengthening and expanding the state’s connections with the rest of the world in trade, tourism, education, and the arts. She was a particularly outspoken advocate of international educational exchange at the secondary and post-secondary level. She was also awarded the Royal Order of the Polar Star by the Kingdom of Sweden in 1988.
After leaving office in 1993, Johnson ran for mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota, but lost the primary election to Norm Coleman. Later that year President Bill Clinton appointed her associate administrator for management services and human resources in the General Services Administration.
NAFSA executive director and world community involvement
Johnson lives in Washington, D.C., and serves as the Executive Director of NAFSA: Association of International Educators, the world’s largest nonprofit association dedicated to international education. NAFSA’s nearly 10,000 members enable international education opportunities for thousands of students each year.
Johnson also serves on the Board of the Communications Consortium Media Center in Washington, DC, the Advisory Council of the US-China Education Trust, the Senior Advisory Council of Business for Diplomatic Action, and the Advisory Board of the Center for Women’s Intercultural Leadership at St Mary’s College -University of Notre Dame. She is a former Board member of the Alliance for International Educational and Cultural Exchange, AFS-USA, AFS Intercultural Programs, the World Press Institute and the National
Association of Women Business Owners.