Heather Johnson is the Executive Assistant at IMPART Alliance, a position she has held since 2022. She works directly with Dr. Clare Luz and Office Coordinator Shannon Harkins to support advocacy, outreach, and operations for Michigan’s direct care workforce.
Johnson’s professional path to IMPART Alliance is unique. “Really surprisingly, it has very little to do with academics,” she said. “I have a community college education in culinary arts from Lansing Community College and Grand Rapids Community College, and that is actually what brought me to MSU.” After working for Spartan Catering and the State Room, she spent several years in state government before returning to Michigan State University, “wanting a different scene.”
Johnson’s connection to IMPART Alliance’s mission runs deep. “I used to work as a direct care worker,” she shared. “You need somebody in that space who is knowledgeable, who has a heart for what they’re doing. It’s an honor and a pleasure to be part of an organization that is supporting them.”
She sees IMPART Alliance as a leader in changing the perception of direct care work. “I kind of think that we are trailblazers for the workforce,” Johnson said. “They have been brought out of the shadows and into the light, into the conversation.” She believes the organization’s training and certification programs “really legitimize them as well, making them at the level that they should be.”
Reflecting on her time at IMPART, Johnson said the most rewarding part has been watching the organization grow. “When I began, it was literally only Claire and Shannon,” she said. “Now our team has grown to nearly 30 individuals. Despite our imperfections and frustrations, we’re still here doing it — focused on the bottom line. That is what keeps me coming back day after day.”
