Connie "LaJoyce" Johnson - Missouri Representative

Rep. Connie "LaJoyce" Johnson, a Democrat, represents part of St. Louis City (District 61) in the Missouri House of Representatives. She was selected at the beginning of the 2005 legislative session for House leadership as the Minority Whip. She is the committeewoman for the 27th Ward in St. Louis. In addition to her legislative duties, Rep. Johnson is an attorney, employed at the Law Firm of Armstrong Teasdale, LLP in St. Louis, Missouri. She works primarily in the litigation practice group. She is also an adjunct professor at the St. Louis University School of Public Health. Prior to serving in the House, Representative Johnson had extensive experience in state government including serving as assistant to the director, Division of Aging, Missouri Department of

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Rep. Connie "LaJoyce" Johnson, a Democrat, represents part of St. Louis City (District 61) in the Missouri House of Representatives. She was selected at the beginning of the 2005 legislative session for House leadership as the Minority Whip. She is the committeewoman for the 27th Ward in St. Louis. In addition to her legislative duties, Rep. Johnson is an attorney, employed at the Law Firm of Armstrong Teasdale, LLP in St. Louis, Missouri. She works primarily in the litigation practice group. She is also an adjunct professor at the St. Louis University School of Public Health. Prior to serving in the House, Representative Johnson had extensive experience in state government including serving as assistant to the director, Division of Aging, Missouri Department of Social Services. She oversaw the minority-aging program and provided leadership and staffed the Commission on the Special Health, Psychological and Social Needs of Older Minority Individuals and the Governor's Advisory Council on Aging. She also worked from 1997-1999, on the legal team in the Office of the General Counsel for the Missouri Department of Health. There she worked on Personnel Advisory Board cases, childcare licensing and other programming issues. She also served as a member of the Minority Health Advisory Council. After graduation from law school, Rep Johnson started working for the Missouri Department of Health in the Center for Local Public Health Services. As the administrative liaison, she managed core public health contracts for 114 counties in Missouri. In addition to those duties, she assisted the director in researching special projects, including insurance for Missouri's low-income children. Rep. Johnson is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc, the Missouri Bar, and the Mound City Bar Association. She also holds membership in the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, the American Bar Association, and the Missouri Association of Trial Lawyers. In addition, she is a member of the Women’s Lawyer’s Association, NAACP-City of St. Louis Executive Committee, and the American Council of Young Political Leaders. In 2004, Rep. Johnson received the Champion of Justice Award from the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys for fighting for the rights of victims of civil injustice. For her efforts in promoting diversity and more minorities on the judicial bench, she received a community service award from the Mound City Bar Association. Her dedication and advocacy for the elderly was recently acknowledged by Lincoln University when they presented her with an outstanding service award. In the area of mental health, she received the Mtumishi Service Award for Public Service. Past honors and awards include the 2003 Outstanding Legislative Award from the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill. In 2002, she attended the National Governor’s Association on Chronic Diseases to help design a plan to address the health disparities in Missouri. In 2001, Rep. Johnson went to South Africa where she was a US delegate with the American Council of Young Political Leaders. She received the 2001 Mtumishi Service award for public service to the African American Community in the field of mental health and the Top Ladies of Distinction Unsung Heroine award. She was a public member of the Board of Geologists Registration from 1998-2000 and a commissioner on the St. Louis Planning and Industrial Expansion Authority from 1998-2000. Other achievements for Rep. Johnson include: Mortar Board and President's Service Award (Bradley University), Danforth Leadership award, St. Louis Association of Colored Women Community Service award, and St. Louis Teachers Union Lifetime Achievement award. Rep. Johnson was also Missouri's First Congressional District Electoral College representative for the 1996 Presidential election. A 1987 graduate of Incarnate Word Academy in St. Louis, Rep. Johnson received a Bachelor of Science degree from Bradley University in 1991 in communications/radio/TV/video with a Minor in Psychology and news. She received a Juris Doctorate and Master’s Degree in Health Administration from Saint Louis University in 1996. Born July 1, 1969 in Chicago, Ill., Rep. Johnson moved to St. Louis in 1979.

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