Michelle D. Johnson


Michelle D. Johnson is a retired Lieutenant General in the United States Air Force and current Senior Vice President and Head of Referee Operations for the National Basketball Association. She was the 19th Superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy, the first woman to lead a United States Department of Defense Service Academy. Her previous position was the Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations and Intelligence, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Casteau, Belgium. She was formerly the Director, Strategy, Policy, Programs and Logistics, U.S. Transportation Command at Scott Air Force Base. She also served as the deputy director for information and cyberspace policy, Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate at the Pentagon. As an Air Force cadet, she was the first woman to serve as Cadet Wing Commander at the United States Air Force Academy. Johnson played basketball for the Air Force Falcons women's basketball team. She was twice named an Academic All-American and was inducted into the Academic All-American Hall of Fame in 2007, making her the first woman from the Academy and one of only six graduates with that distinction. Also, she was selected as the Academy's first woman Rhodes Scholar in her First Class Year. Johnson was recognized as an Honorary Fellow of Brasenose College in 2013. She received the 2014 American Legion Auxiliary Woman of the Year Award. Johnson was awarded a star on The Flag for Hope on June 18, 2016 in recognition of her outstanding military service.

Education and training

Johnson attended pilot training at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona from May 1983 to July 1984, and completed her three-month C-141 qualification training at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma in October of that year.
Her command assignments included the 9th Air Refueling Squadron, the 97th Operations Group and the 22d Air Refueling Wing. She commanded a deployed air refueling squadron in Operation Southern Watch and an air refueling wing in support of Operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. She has served as the Air Force aide to the President, and as an Assistant Professor of Political Science, instructor pilot, and Associate Air Officer Commanding at the United States Air Force Academy.
On August 12, 2013, Johnson assumed command as superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy. She was the first woman to hold the position. Johnson retired from the Air Force in October 2017.
Johnson has more than 3,600 flying hours in C-141, T-41, KC-10, C-17, C-5 Galaxy and KC-135 aircraft.

NBA

Following her retirement from the Air Force, Johnson was appointed as Senior Vice President and Head of Referee Operations for the NBA on October 12, 2017. She assumed her new position on October 16, 2017 and stepped down from the position on October 15, 2019. Her duties included overseeing the recruitment, training, development, and evaluation of NBA referees, as well as the NBA Replay Center.

Promotion history