Boys and Girls Clubs CEO Michael Johnson dead at 50

Johnson led the organization for almost 17 years, helping turn it into a force for change for youth across Dane County, according to the Boys & Girls Clubs website.

“We are deeply saddened to share the unexpected passing of our President and CEO, Michael Johnson,” the organization said in a statement.

“Michael Johnson was an extraordinary leader and a valued part of our organization and community,” the statement said. “He brought passion, integrity and a deep commitment to the mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County, and his impact will be felt for many years to come. Our thoughts are with Michael’s family and friends, and all who had the privilege of knowing him.”

Johnson began at the Boys and Girls Club in 2010 but came to even greater prominence in the aftermath of the police shooting of Tony Robinson in Madison in 2015, when he often served as the voice for Black Madisonians and a go-between with Madison’s mostly white leaders.

Often among the first to show up to the scene after a tragedy, such as the 2024 shooting at Abundant Life Christian School, Johnson offered comfort to victims while demanding change in the face of injustice.

After several people fired into a crowd celebrating the life of a man who was slain in 2020, Johnson called on the city to fund more peer support but also called the community’s “code of silence ... total BS.

“It could be you next time,” he said. “It could be your child next time.”

A tireless advocate and fundraiser for his organization, Johnson would often lend his voice in support of other child-focused efforts and, in recent years, had raised money to buy needy families vehicles or leave large Christmas-season tips at local restaurants.

Under his leadership, the Boys and Girls Club expanded in Sun Prairie and opened a workforce center to train youth in the building trades.

“When I first met him, you could tell that he had this big vision for the Boys and Girls Club and his leadership, and you would just see that play out over and over and over again,” said Sabrina Madison, president of the Madison City Council.

Madison said she met Johnson a few weeks after he arrived in Dane County from Chicago.

“I don't remember a time when Mike was like, 'Oh, we're just going to play it small, or we'll just do the simple thing,’” she said. “Some people could be like, ‘oh, you know, we're going to put a basket outside and drop things off,’ but not Mike, he was like, ‘we're going to fill the school bus.’”

Johnson’s impact could be felt throughout the Madison area, even among those whose time around him was limited.

Ellie Westman Chin, CEO and executive director of Destination Madison, said she didn’t know Johnson personally but saw the “incredible impact” that he’s had on the community and “how much he’s moved the Boys & Girls Clubs forward” during his tenure.

“I’m just sitting here in shock,” Westman Chin said Monday morning, just moments after learning of Johnson’s death. “He was just such a visionary. I just enjoyed watching what he was doing with the Boys and Girls Clubs because he was always bringing in incredible artists to perform or getting an amazing grant from a national foundation.”

Andy Gussert, State Director of Wisconsin Boys & Girls Clubs, said Johnson taught him so much about “the audacity of leadership, the importance of thinking big, and to not ever let other people set limits for you… I'll carry memories of our work together to fuel future inspiration."

Kaleem Caire, founder and CEO of One City Schools, said he met Johnson in 2010 after Caire was named the leader of the Urban League of Greater Madison and Johnson had been named head of the Boys and Girls Club.

“We’d ride our bikes every night for almost a year,” he said. “I told people how resilient he was -- but that man had stamina and strength.

He said he last saw Johnson last week at a leadership conference at The Edgewater hotel.

“He had gotten to the point where he just didn’t care what people said about him,” Caire said. “His job was to take care of the kids in Madison.”

In 2021, after a La Follette High School student was arrested in the school with a loaded handgun, Johnson went against the prevailing orthodoxy of some social justice advocates in calling for the return of school resource officers as part of a comprehensive plan that prioritizes student mental health and safety.

“We need mental health specialists, therapists, social workers — and SROs,” he said.

Caire also pointed to Johnson’s gift for bringing people together and committing to causes.

“His ability to mobilize that support was just huge,” he said.

“This is huge. We’ve lost a dynamic figure in Madison. There’s never been one like him. A lot of people are going to be hurting.”

Johnson's advocacy could be wide-ranging.

In September 2024, while on sabbatical from his job at the Boys & Girls Clubs, Johnson grew incensed at the abuse being heaped on Haitian immigrants in Ohio over false claims -- amplified by then-presidential candidate Donald Trump and his running mate, JD Vance -- that they were eating residents' pets.

So, Johnson and his wife, Toya, decided to drive to Springfield, Ohio, to see what they could do to help.

Their first stop was at a Haitian restaurant, where they met with a local nonprofit leader and later with comedian Dave Chappelle, who lives in nearby Yellow Springs.

The Johnsons gave $1,000 in tips to some of the Haitian restaurant workers, something Johnson had done in the Madison area for restaurant employees around the holidays.

At first, they were using their own money. But then Johnson turned to Facebook for help.

Johnson said they raised about $5,000 within hours. Before they left, he said they'd helped about 12 families.

Johnson is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.

State Journal reporters George Wiebe, Chris Rickert, Samara Kalk Derby and Barry Adams contributed to this report.