Janis Johnson moved to Valdez in January 1982 to teach human services at Prince William Sound Community College. It has been her home since, and Johnson is well-known, respected, and active in making Valdez a caring, supportive community for everyone.

Johnson was born July 16, 1949, and along with a brother and sister, raised in Vancouver, Washington. She earned her degrees from the University of Washington in Seattle; an undergraduate degree in sociology and Master of Education (MEd) degree in special education. Johnson took a position with the Bureau of Child Research/Center for Human Development at the University of Kansas in 1976, where she completed substantial post Master’s work, taught, and directed a demonstration project that developed processes for integrating students with severe disabilities into public schools. Later she developed curricula for training disability service providers working in the community.

Johnson moved to Valdez, Alaska, in January 1982 to teach at Prince William Sound Community College, as it was then known. Among the classes she taught were ones focused on human services, including disability services. The college was seeking to serve the community, and Harborview Developmental Center was a major institution in Valdez (operated 1961-1997). Over the next 23 years, Johnson believes she taught nearly a thousand students. The Disability Services program she developed was delivered statewide in conjunction with the Center for Human Development at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Johnson was a leader in compiling the Prince William Sound college’s self-study document, a critical element for its successful accreditation as an independent community college within the University of Alaska system. After retiring from her teaching position in 2005, Johnson worked on special projects at the college for three years.

In 1995, a few years before the closure of Harborview, Johnson helped organize Horizons Unlimited, one of the first community support organizations in Valdez, serving people with developmental disabilities.  She served on its board of directors until 2001. The organization’s purpose was to ensure the community could provide essential services such as residential support, respite services for families, and habilitation programs for individuals with disabilities. Its goal was to foster independence and support people with developmentally disabilities to live in the community. The organization later merged with Frontier Community Services that operates out of Soldotna and continues to provide services for people with developmental disabilities in Valdez today.

Johnson was appointed to the Governor’s Council on Disabilities and Special Education that advised the Department of Health and Social Services on needed services for disabled individuals and standards so that services provided were high quality. While she was on the council, Johnson worked to establish statewide policies that would help disabled individuals move out of institutions and gain access to critical services in their communities.

In 2004, Johnson became involved with Advocates for Victims of Violence (AVV), a nonprofit organization, for the Valdez, Copper River Basin, and Prince William Sound region. Founded in 1981, the organization is part of a statewide network that offers shelter and helps find legal assistance and counseling for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Serving on the Board of Directors and as treasurer, Johnson has worked tirelessly for ongoing, sustainable funding for a shelter in Valdez, as well as funds to help victims get transportation to the shelter, get into safe houses, and to connect with services for counseling and legal assistance. Johnson continues to advocate for adequate program funding for AVV that is currently provided through the Alaska Department of Public Safety. Johnson also has promoted the development of prevention of violence programs for the schools in the region. She has co-chaired AVV’s Annual Women of Distinction Celebration since its inception in 2008, an event that honors women and young women in the region for their significant contributions to their community and others. To date this event has honored 101 women and forty-six young women and raised over $150,000 for AVV programs and support services for victims of violence

Ever the teacher, Johnson served three terms on the Valdez School Board, and since the 1980s has been a member of the Valdez Emblem Club, a service organization that raises funds to support youth activities and community projects, including awarding over $10,000 in scholarships annually. As Chairperson of the Valdez Emblem Scholarship Program, she has guided the organization to award over one hundred scholarships in the last ten years for college and other post-secondary training, including trades and vocational programs. Johnson also supports the John Devens Endowed Scholarship at Prince William Sound College and the Ruth Lister Endowed Scholarship at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. She is regarded by a number of Valdez residents as the best raffle ticket seller in town—for many nonprofits and community groups in addition to the scholarship program.

Janis received honorable mention in 2016 when nominated for a First Lady’s Volunteer Award. Prince William Sound College recognized her with a Teaching-Learning-Service Medallion in 2020.

Janis Johnson cares about people. She has worked in the academic world and has been involved with grassroot initiatives. She believes in working for her community. She has been described as a “powerful advocate” and highly effective for those with developmental disabilities and victims of violence and sexual assault. Johnson wants young people to have educational opportunities to develop skills that will help them find rewarding careers. Through her work teaching students and her involvement with nonprofit community service organizations, Johnson has been inspiring. She has helped make the close-knit small community of Valdez a caring one. On the personal level, Johnson has been the guardian for two women with developmental disabilities, one for over thirty years and the other for five years. She is committed to helping them get the services they need and have high quality lives. And by the way, Johnson is easily recognizable around Valdez driving her classic BMW convertible with license plate DOODAH.

“What a great advocate she’s always been for people who are marginalized.” – Jan Whalen

“I learned so much from Janis, from grant writing to interacting with people to advocating for the program.” – Rowena Palomar, Advocates for Victims of Violence

“Janis really helps individuals, many nonprofit organizations, and our community, giving of her time and her energy as well as money” – Dorothy Moore. Life-long Valdez resident, teacher, school board and council member

“Janis is the raffle ticket salesperson of Valdez” – Patricia Relay, former Director, Valdez Museum and Archive

“It is not an understatement to say Janis has been making a difference in Valdez since 1982” – JoAnn McDowell, former President, Prince William Sound Community College