Theodore R. Johnson

Theodore “Ted” R. Johnson is a senior advisor at New America and lead of their US@250 Initiative. Dr. Johnson is also a contributing columnist at The Washington Post, and a retired commander in the US Navy.

His military career spanned two decades and consisted of multiple deployments throughout the Pacific Ocean and Persian Gulf. His service also included duty as a White House Fellow during the first Obama administration and as a speechwriter to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

He is currently a senior advisor at Us@250 Initiative, the DC-based think tank New America. That work entails establishing a narrative framework and directing a fellowship program connected to the upcoming semiquincentennial when the United States turns 250 in 2026.

His second book, "If We Are Brave," was published by HarperCollins in 2024. He’s also a professor of practice at Northeastern University, following adjunct tenures at Georgetown University and the University of Southern California.

After military service, he was a national security research manager at Deloitte before changing careers to focus on race and democracy. Following completion of a doctorate in law and policy, he was a senior fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice, where he continued researching and writing on Black voting behavior, democracy reforms, and national solidarity. His first book, "When the Stars Begin to Fall: Overcoming Racism and Renewing the Promise of America," published by Grove Atlantic in 2021.

Dr. Johnson is a native of North Carolina and holds degrees from Hampton University, Harvard University, and a Doctor of Law and Policy from Northeastern University.