CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER
AWARD-WINNING MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS EXECUTIVE with over twenty-five years of executive leadership experience in mission-driven non-profit organizations. Expertise in storytelling, strategic thinking, and crisis communications, including leading the Salk Institute’s COVID-19 communications response. Successfully rebranded the San Diego Convention Center and led advocacy efforts to secure support for its expansion. Proven ability to drive impactful communications strategies as Chief Communications Officer.
PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Led the Crisis Communications response to the COVID-19 pandemic for the Salk Institute, allowing critical scientific research to continue by providing employees with essential health and safety information.
Developed and launched a comprehensive public messaging platform for the Salk Institute's Campaign for the Future, a $500M philanthropic and scientific initiative helping to secure a $100M philanthropic gift from Joan and Irwin Jacobs.
Spearheaded an award-winning redesign of the San Diego Convention Center’s brand, including creating a new agency logo, two new websites, revised print materials, digital and video, and collateral marketing materials.
Led the strategic community outreach, education, and media relations efforts to successfully secure unanimous support from the California Coastal Commission for the Phase III expansion of the San Diego Convention Center.
Directed comprehensive marketing initiatives to help achieve record-breaking room night goals and revenues for the San Diego Convention Center Corporation.
Awarded the 2011 Silver Anvil by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) for issue management after successfully securing public policy and media support for the expansion of the San Diego Convention Center while helping retain a top client (Comic-Con).
CORE COMPETENCIES
Executive Leadership
Non-Profit Management
Strategic & Crisis Communications
Storytelling and Message Development
Community Outreach & Media Relations
Web & Digital Content Development
Writing & Editing Print Publicants & Reports
Video Ideation and Scripting
Public Speaking & Presentations
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
PRESIDENT
On Point Public Affairs and Marketing, San Diego, CA | 2022-Current
Authored strategic core communications materials for the Sanford Burnham Prebys Institute, Mouse-Free Marion (South Africa), More in Common Alliance (Morehouse School of Medicine & CommonSpirit Health), San Diego Theatres, Inc., and the Institute for Science and Technology, Austria (ISTA).
Facilitated the strategic planning meetings and authored the publication Regional Medical Campuses Implementation Playbook for the More in Common Alliance. The publication serves as a guide to faculty and staff of the Morehouse School of Medicine to help establish core programs for the creation of four regional medical campuses to address systemic health inequity in underserved populations.
Provided community engagement and facilitation services to the Association of Schools and Programs in Public Health (ASPPH) as part of an initiative of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to gather input from frontline public health workers, academic institutions, and non-profit health services providers on the establishment of a professional certification program for those working as Disease Intervention Specialists.
Led a daylong ideation facilitation for the American Psychological Association that brought together senior executives in government, academia, business, and non-profit sectors working in the equity, diversity, and inclusion arena.
CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER
Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA | 2018-2022
Chief storyteller and spokesperson, using earned media and owned channels to leverage Jonas Salk's polio legacy, vision, and the Institute's historic architecture to educate, inspire, and generate interest in the institute's science and mission.
Directed, coached, and mentored sixteen creative professionals to plan, develop, implement, and evaluate Salk's short and long-term strategic communications goals and objectives.
Oversaw development of external messaging, content creation, design, and distribution for the institute's owned communication channels, including the award-winning magazine Inside Salk.
Served as communications leader for the institute's COVID-19 crisis response.
Led the replacement of the institute's intranet, resulting in increased daily readership, reduced dependence on emails, and improved tracking metrics, design, and storytelling opportunities for internal communications.
Created customized fundraising materials, including grant proposals, donation requests, giving cases, direct mail campaigns, digital fundraising appeals, and donor stewardship reports.
CONSULTANT
On Point Marketing and Public Affairs, San Diego, CA | 2016-2018
Strategic advisor, communications, and marketing consultant for a range of private sector clients, including MJE Marketing, Carol Wallace and Associates, and Fifth Avenue Landing, LLC.
VICE-PRESIDENT PUBLIC AFFAIRS
San Diego Convention Center Corporation, San Diego, CA | 2006-2016
Responsible for creating, implementing, and measuring the success of all corporate communications, including developing and using critical strategic messaging to proactively educate elected officials and other key stakeholders and positively shaping public policy, building the Corporation’s brand, and promoting organizational awareness.
Conceptualized, prepared, and presented written and oral reports to educate, explain, and justify marketing and policy initiatives to community and civic organizations, industry stakeholders, elected and appointed officials, and media members.
Delivered strategic counsel and executive communications support to senior leadership and the Corporation’s Board of Directors to help advance goals and objectives and to manage proactive and reactive communications.
Oversaw all marketing and communications efforts and partnered with industry, business, philanthropic, and community stakeholders to enhance the Corporation’s brand identity, execute the mission, and build awareness of organizational programs and initiatives.
Authored compelling public affairs and marketing materials designed to engage audiences in taking action.
Served as the Corporation’s primary spokesperson.
PRIOR EXPERIENCE
Johnson Communications, San Diego, CA | 1999-2006
Provided media relations, issue advocacy, and grassroots organizing services to the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, resulting in the reauthorization of the Ryan White CARE Act, CDC HIV/AIDS prevention funding increases, and adoption of state HIV prevention interventions.
Developed the first corporate philanthropic program supporting clean syringe access programs for the Levi Strauss Foundation.
Researched, compiled, and authored reports on federal HIV/AIDS programs for the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Served as public relations liaison and HIV/AIDS advisor for Hewlett Packard, Inc. at the International Conference on HIV/AIDS.
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC POLICY AND COMMUNICATION
Northwest AIDS Foundation, Seattle, WA | 1994-1999
Led media relations and public policy advocacy to advance critical HIV/AIDS funding and legislative initiatives.
EDUCATION
2005 Master of Public Administration San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
1986 Bachelor of Science, Marketing University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
Steven B. Johnson
Bio
Steven B. Johnson is an award-winning public affairs and marketing professional with over two decades of executive leadership experience creating, implementing, and evaluating strategic communications initiatives and brand marketing campaigns to advance mission-critical goals.
Since 2022, Mr. Johnson has been leading On Point Public Affairs and Marketing in San Diego, CA, where he has authored strategic core communications materials for prestigious organizations, including the Sanford Burnham Prebys Institute, Mouse-Free Marion (South Africa), More in Common Alliance (Morehouse School of Medicine & CommonSpirit Health), San Diego Theatres, Inc., and the Institute for Science and Technology, Austria (ISTA). He also facilitated strategic planning meetings and authored the Regional Medical Campus Implementation Playbook for the More in Common Alliance, a Morehouse School of Medicine guide to help establish regional medical campuses to address systemic health inequity in underserved populations.
In addition, Mr. Johnson provided community engagement and facilitation services to the Association of Schools and Programs in Public Health (ASPPH) as part of a CDC initiative, gathering input from public health professionals and academic institutions to develop a certification program for Disease Intervention Specialists. He also led a daylong ideation facilitation for the American Psychological Association, bringing together senior executives across sectors to discuss and identify opportunities to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion programs.
In May 2018, Mr. Johnson joined the Salk Institute for Biological Studies as the Senior Director of Communications. He led a communications team that handled internal and external communications and development marketing. Less than four months later, he was promoted to Chief Communications Officer (August 2018) and led the institute’s successful COVID-19 crisis communications response, which helped the institute continue to conduct critical scientific research by providing regular health and safety information to faculty and staff.
From 2006 to 2016, Mr. Johnson served as Vice President of Public Affairs at the San Diego Convention Center Corporation, overseeing corporate communications, marketing, and government relations for one of the world’s leading convention centers. He led the rebranding program for the convention center’s twenty-fifth anniversary, redesigning the logo and website, and earned multiple awards, including the 2015 International Creativity Award for web design. He also spearheaded the 2013 strategic outreach and media relations campaign that secured unanimous approval from the California Coastal Commission for the Phase III expansion of the San Diego Convention Center, work that was honored with the Public Relations Society of America’s highest accolade, a Silver Anvil for issue management, in 2011.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Johnson was a marketing and public relations consultant, providing strategic counsel to organizations such as Hewlett Packard, the Levi Straus Foundation, the Kaiser Family Foundation, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, and the California Department of Health Services.
Throughout his career, Mr. Johnson has tackled numerous complex and often controversial public affairs issues, particularly those related to HIV/AIDS during the 1990s. As co-chair of the Washington State Governor’s Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, he worked with government officials, community groups, and the media to build consensus on critical public health policies.
Mr. Johnson holds a B.S. in Marketing from the University of Oregon and a Master of Public Administration from San Diego State University. He resides in San Diego with his partner, Carlos, and their rescue dog, Mama.