PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--University of Phoenix is pleased to highlight that McCeil Johnson, J.D., vice president of Accreditation and Regulatory Compliance, was elected by the UPCEA® Board of Directors to serve as co-chair on the Board’s Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Committee for a two-year term. UPCEA is the association for college and university leaders in professional, continuing, and online education.
“I am honored by the Board’s confidence and to continue my service in a leadership role with the committee,” shares Johnson. “Serving as the new co-chair for the Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Committee with UPCEA is an incredible opportunity. Working with the Committee to collaborate with diverse professionals in higher education from a wide range of institutions has allowed us to address critical questions and concerns presented by students. At the end of the day, my goal is to help students navigate the college matrix more effectively, drawing from my own lived experiences.”
Johnson’s new term of service begins at the conclusion of the 2025 UPCEA Annual Conference in Denver, Colorado on March 26, 2025.
“I have worked with McCeil for the past two years in her role as committee member. I am absolutely delighted that she was nominated and affirmed as the new Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Co-Chair,” states Julie Uranis, Sr. Vice President, Online and Strategic Initiatives of UPCEA. “McCeil brings a fresh perspective and excitement to our work. I am looking forward to her time as co-chair.”
In her role at University of Phoenix, Johnson provides leadership and management of the university’s college-specific accreditation and regulatory initiatives including institutional, programmatic, state boards and other regulatory functions. She brings a wealth of experience to the university, including security and crisis management; shared governance related to the development of operational transparency and collaborative communication models and mediation and conflict resolution as related to both the student body and university faculty members, leading inclusion and belonging initiatives, and fundraising activities related to the creation of a scholarship fund for women.
Committed to professional integrity and growth, Johnson is a member of numerous professional associations in addition to UPCEA, including Association of Title IX Administrators (ATIXA); Council on Higher Education (CHEA); Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SCCE); University Risk Management and Insurance Association (URMIA); Higher Learning Commission, Peer Review Corps (HLC Peer Reviewer and Team Chair); and the Online Learning Consortium (OLC).
Johnson is recognized as a leader and subject matter expert speaker. She was appointed in fall 2021 to the University of Iowa College of Law Alumni Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Council, and was elected to serve as Vice Chair of the Council. She is the recipient of the 2024 Alumni Achievement Award from the University of Iowa College of Law. Johnson has been serving as a speaker on the Women in Automotive circuit since March 2021, giving presentations and guidance on how women can empower themselves and their voices in a male-dominated industry.
In 2022, Johnson participated in the Black Leadership Academy Management Accelerator offered by McKinsey & Company, a six-month program helping participants enhance functional organizational knowledge, develop a leadership mindset, expand their cross-industry peer network, and providing safe space and time to reflect and share perspectives on personal journeys as a Black leader in the world today.
Johnson holds a Bachelor of Arts, a Master of Arts from the University of Iowa and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Iowa College of Law.
UPCEA reviews institutions providing online education and identifies whether they meet seven different Hallmarks of excellence. In 2021, University of Phoenix was recognized by UPCEA in achieving recognition across all seven.
About University of Phoenix
University of Phoenix innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, skills-mapped curriculum for our bachelor’s and master’s degree programs and a Career Services for Life® commitment help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit phoenix.edu/blog.html.
