Johnson named communicator of the year
Christine Doughty Johnson, a 1973 journalism graduate of Murray State University, was named 2010 Communicator of the Year by the Bluegrass chapter of Public Relations Society of America and the Kentucky chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators Oct. 12 in Louisville.
The president and CEO of the Leadership Louisville Center since 1979, Johnson was also recognized for service at the Presentation Academy's 2010 Tower Awards for Women Leaders.
Her other honors include being named by Louisville Magazine as one of Louisville's 15 most powerful women in 2007, named to the Presbyterian Community Center's Hall of Fame, named the winner of the Chairman's Award by the national Community Leadership Association for her success in creating the Leadership Louisville Center and in 1996 named as a Woman of Achievement by the Kentuckiana Girl Scout Council.
Before joining the Leadership Louisville staff in 1990, Johnson was an executive with Wenz-Neely, Kentucky's largest public relations firm. She began her professional career as the first woman sports reporter for The Courier-Journal and covered the Kentucky Colonels pro basketball team.
As president of Leadership Louisville Center, she directs the four leader programs: Leadership Louisville, the signature program for senior leaders; Focus Louisville, a two and a half-day community orientation with an emphasis on volunteer service; The Bingham Fellows, a graduate-level program that provides an advanced leadership experience on a specific community issue; and Ignite Louisville, a skill-building leadership course for young professionals.
The Leadership Louisville Center celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2009. An initiative called the Leadership Louisville Connector Project is leading the organization into its next 30 years. Johnson was one of 128 individuals recognized as Leadership Louisville's Connectors.