Bill Johnson Bio
President Bill Johnson
When Bill Johnson began his tenure as the 10th president of Youngstown State University in January 2024, he brought a wealth of leadership experience spanning impactful roles in various industry sectors, from a distinguished 26+ year military career, to founding and leading high-tech business ventures, to serving as a Chief Information Officer for a global publicly traded manufacturing company, to a 13-year career serving as a Member of Congress. Under his leadership, YSU’s overall headcount enrollment increased each year, and the university has expanded its role in serving communities across the region.
A major milestone of his presidency has been the opening of Youngstown State University’s Steubenville location in early 2026. This campus provides YSU’s exceptional brand of higher education choices to students, families, and employers in the Ohio Valley, and extended the university’s reach and trusted reputation to even more communities in our state.
President Johnson also worked with the State of Ohio, Norfolk Southern Railroad, and the Village of East Palestine to position YSU as the lead agency to develop a first responder and fire science training center of excellence in East Palestine. In addition, on the main campus, President Johnson has championed the massive renovation of the Kilcawley Student Center. Closed in May of 2026 to begin reconstruction, the facility will reopen in fall of 2027 complete with a totally modernized interior featuring new gathering spaces, flexible meeting rooms, an open and consolidated dining area, a black-box theater and resources for students, members of our campus community, and visitors from across the region.
YSU’s student-focused achievements during President Johnson’s tenure include the Women’s Bowling Team’s 2025 NCAA National Championship, and the university’s American Foundry Student Chapter’s victory in the 2025 National Cast in Steel Competition that was eventually featured in the “Cast in Steel” YouTube series. In early 2026, Beau Brungard received the Walter Peyton Award as the nation’s top offensive player in NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision. In January 2026, YSU earned – on its first application -- the Carnegie Foundation’s Elective Classification for Community Engagement, a major accomplishment awarded to only 275 universities across the nation. Finally, YSU Athletics was recognized as the Horizon League’s top all-sports program by winning the McCafferty Trophy for the 2025-26 academic year.
Before joining YSU, Johnson served more than 13-years in the U.S. Congress and had a 26-year career in the U.S. Air Force. During his military service, he commanded one of the Air Force’s largest communications units and later served as Director of the CIO Staff at U.S. Special Operations Command. Over his career, he has run his own successful businesses and has led multiple large, diverse organizations.
Johnson and First Lady, LeeAnn, have one child, Nathan, who is a current YSU graduate student working for the athletic department. He is also the proud parent of three grown children: Joshua, Julie, and Jessica, and is a grandfather of six.