Author

Barbara J. Johnson

Barbara J. Johnson, the fifth of twelve whole (seven half) siblings, was born on a family-owned cotton farm (August 2, 1955) in Vaughan, MS (Yazoo County), to the parents of Wilson J. Washington, Sr., and Dorothy L. (Stevens) Washington. She graduated from Benton High School (1973) and earned a Business Diploma from Draughon’s Business College, Jackson, MS (April 1976). Afterwards—during 1982–1990—she attended evening classes at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, OH, where she studied computer science, accounting, and business policies. From 1990 to 1998, she attended and graduated from Park University, Parkville, MO, with a Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree in Management/Psychology (Minor). Her master’s degree (MD) program (studies) in project management (PM) is via the University of Management & Technology (UMT) in Arlington, VA.

From 1971–1981, Barbara worked for the Yazoo County Summer Youth Program in Vaughan, MS; two insurance companies (Jackson, MS & Memphis, TN); two consumer lending affiliates (Leesville, LA & Memphis, TN); and a bank in Dayton, OH.

On March 3, 1982, Barbara was employed by the United Air Force/Avionics Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH, as a civil servant and retired on February 3, 2006, as a senior financial management officer/federal acquisitions professional (APDP-Level III) – [certified by the United States Air Force and Defense Acquisitions University (DAU) at Fort Belvoir, VA] – due to her Department of Defense (DoD) training, education, awards, and superior ratings/experiences in budgeting, contracting, procurement, finance, and cost-estimating. She concluded her additional public service career (2006–2020) on April 15, 2020. She served as a municipal government fiscal officer (FO) in Preble County, OH; a sub-teacher in Madison County, MS; and a federal budget & finance analyst with three contractors—Ohio, Florida & Virginia.

Barbara’s first novel, “A Mississippi Family,” with Mary Sikora, was published by Holloway House Publishers, Los Angeles, CA (1986). She married Norman R. Johnson on May 8, 1976—present. They have 2 children, 7 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren, a godson, several god-grandchildren, and great-god-grandchildren. She enjoys writing, art illustrating, fishing, music, anthropology, and antiquing.