Dr. Johnson joined the Center for Disabilities as Director of Research and Development in June of 2014. He is responsible for the design, development and implementation of research and evaluation projects including mandated data collection and reporting for the Center. He also pursues opportunities for expanding Center activities with the writing and submission of grants. Prior to this, he was an Associate Professor at San Diego State University and the Principle Investigator for two personnel preparation grants focused on preparing teachers in Special Education with a specialization in Transition. He was the principle investigator of the Transition Specialist Certificate Program at SDSU that prepared credentialed teachers with an emphasis in the implementation of evidence-based practices in transition and the Self-Determination Learning Model of Instruction. He has experience providing technical assistance to state and local teams; expertise in the area of outcome and impact assessment and evaluation with an interest in the utilization of assessment data for improving program quality, degree of implementation, and post-school outcomes; developing tools designed to meet stakeholder needs; preparing and conducting online training including the development and implementation of an e-mentoring system; and, presenting at state and national conferences as an invited keynote and peer-reviewed presentations.  Dr. Johnson is a member of the Council for Exceptional Children, Division on Career Development and Transition, American Educational Research Association, and the American Evaluation Association.  He has served as reviewer for a number of professional publications.