Difference Makers
UM-Dearborn Difference Makers are at the forefront of their fields. They’re improving the lives of others and making an impact on campus and in our local communities.
Sharnita Johnson, ‘13 MPA, is the Victoria Foundation’s first-ever vice president of Strategy, Impact and Communication. In this role, Sharnita provides oversight and management of all programmatic activities, ensuring alignment with the Foundation’s goals and values. She leads the development and implementation of Victoria’s grantmaking, success measures, communications, and leadership activities.
Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Sharnita is a recognized leader who was shaped by more than 20 years of nonprofit experience. She has created innovative collaborations that have secured millions of dollars in philanthropic support for community-based initiatives.
Most recently, Sharnita served as the arts program director at the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, where she led a statewide grantmaking portfolio focused on arts, equity, and creative placemaking. Prior, she supported local nonprofits by leading grantmaking portfolios focused on collaborative, place-based work that increased investments in neighborhood development, arts and culture, and leadership development in communities throughout Southeast Michigan.
Sharnita co-chairs the New Jersey Arts and Cultural Recovery Fund. She is also co-chair of the Association of Black Foundation Executives’ (ABFE) $25 million fundraising campaign to strengthen and rebuild Black-led infrastructure for social change. Sharnita is active in the nonprofit sector and is board chair of Grantmakers in the Arts, and serves on the boards of ArtYard and the Children’s Theatre Foundation of America. She was an ABFE Connecting Leaders Fellow, Marygrove College Distinguished Alumna, and Council on Foundations Career Pathways Fellow.
