NMHC Welcomes New Executive Director, Dr. Brandon L. Johnson

31 Oct 2017

The New Mexico Humanities Council (NMHC) announces the appointment of Dr. Brandon L. Johnson as its new Executive Director.

“The Council is fortunate to have Dr. Johnson as the new Executive Director. Our national search yielded an impressive field of candidates, all with measures of experience, expertise, and commitment to the humanities,� said NMHC Board Chair, Doris Fields. “Brandon brings not only knowledge and skill but also great passion to the New Mexico humanities community.�

Dr. Johnson discovered a passion for humanities administration and programming while pursuing a doctorate in history at the University of Chicago. This led him back to Utah, his home state, as the Utah Humanities Council (UHC) Director of Grants and Historical Programs. While there, he expanded grant opportunities, created an award-winning program in support of Utah's cultural institutions and developed a radio program to raise awareness about UHC across the state. In 2009, he transitioned to Washington D.C. as the Senior Program Officer in the Office of Challenge Grants at the National Endowment for the Humanities. In this position, he was instrumental in updating the grant system to support under-served communities.

"I’m thrilled to join the New Mexico Humanities Council as its Executive Director,� Johnson said. “Looking forward to our fiftieth anniversary, we intend to take our programs to the next level and provide New Mexicans with fresh humanities experiences. No other state can hold a candle to New Mexico’s richly diverse heritage. Our foodways, art, stories, architecture, and communities are unmatched, and we want to help the state’s residents find new ways to talk about them.� 

Johnson succeeds Dr. Craig Newbill who retired from NMHC in January after 24 years of forging important partnerships, developing engaging humanities programs and rousing support for the humanities throughout the state.