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Laurel Johnson

Undergraduate Academic Advisor
Office: GS 917
headshot with pastel background
laurel86@arizona.edu
Pronouns:
she/her/hers

Laurel Johnson was born and raised in sunny San Diego, California, as part of a big, blended family. She earned her degree in Early Childhood Education from the College of Charleston in South Carolina, where she began her career teaching kindergarten through third grade. 

After several years in the classroom, Laurel returned to San Diego to be closer to family and continued teaching while enjoying her favorite pastimes—spending time at the beach, hosting dinner parties, and gardening. When the pandemic hit, she adapted to the challenge of teaching five-year-olds virtually and later led outdoor instruction, eventually overseeing her school’s Early Childhood Center Garden, where she combined her love of nature and education.

Laurel is passionate about creating more equity in education and loves supporting students of all ages. She is excited to bring her background in teaching and student development to higher education and to help college students navigate their academic journeys.

Outside of work, Laurel loves traveling, cooking, reading, beading, yoga, playing board games, rock climbing, and exploring new creative hobbies—she recently started pottery classes! She’s also a devoted Padres fan, an avid thrifter, and a proud new cat foster parent with her partner, whom she married in 2024.

Favorite Books: 

  1. The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton
  2. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
  3. This is How it Always Is by Laurie Frankel
  4. Just Mercy by Brian Stevenson
  5. Good Morning Monster: Five Heroic Journeys to Recovery by Catherine Gildiner
  6. Mad Honey by Jodi Picolt
  7. Educated by Tara Westover

Favorite TV Shows: 

RuPaul’s Drag Race, RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, We’re Here, Abbot Elementary, Pen15, Girls, Fleabag, Life & Beth, Too Much, Overcompensating, The Chi, The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency

Favorite Movies: The Intouchables, Juno, Away We Go,  Trainwreck, I Feel Pretty, Exotic Marigold Hotel, The Darjeeling Limited 

Favorite Quotes: 

“To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived—that is to have succeeded," -Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done.”  -Bryan Stevenson