Michael Johnson is Director and Chief Nurse Administrator at Cleveland State University. Dr. Johnson has committed his research career to reduce health inequities among LGBTQ people. His areas of impact primarily include healthcare access and delivery and cervical cancer screening among lesbian and bisexual women and transgender men. He has created several explanatory frameworks that national and international scholars have prolifically cited. His research contributions have been used to inform several policy statements and reports by the Human Rights Campaign, the American Nurses Association, and the American Heart Association. Moreover, his work was featured in the 2020 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report on Understanding the Well-being of LGBTQI+ Populations. In addition to his research, Dr. Johnson was a founding member of Nurses Advancing LGBT Health Equality, the first-ever LGBTQ-specific nursing professional organization, and he served two consecutive terms as Chair or the organization. He has also provided pro-bono consultation for several large healthcare facilities to create inclusive and affirmative spaces.

Dr. Johnson earned his BSN and MSN from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and PhD from the Medical University of South Carolina.