Joy Johnson

President & Vice Chancellor
Simon Fraser University  

As SFU's president and vice-chancellor, Ms. Johnson is committed to carrying out SFU's vision to be a leading research university advancing an inclusive and sustainable future, as outlined in What's Next: The SFU Strategy.

Ms. Johnson is widely respected in academic and research communities. Prior to her appointment as president, Ms. Johnson served as SFU’s vice-president, research and international from 2014 to 2020. Under her strong leadership, SFU’s research income grew from $103 million in 2014 to $161 million in 2020—the fastest growth in research income of any Canadian university.

Before joining SFU, Ms. Johnson had a distinguished career in academics and research, completing her PhD in nursing at the University of Alberta before joining the University of British Columbia as a professor in the School of Nursing. Her commitment to research led her to take on the role of scientific director with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research's Institute of Gender and Health, setting the institute’s strategy and building opportunities for researchers. Ms. Johnson's many accomplishments reflect her dedication to operational excellence and her ability to align institutional policy and priorities to achieve success.