Nancy Johnston
Executive Director, Piedmont Triad Office
Department: Statewide OfficesContact Information
http://www.linkedin.com/in/nvjohnston
About
Nancy Johnston serves as the executive director of the Piedmont Triad office for the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, a role that has placed her at the center of life sciences technology-based economic development for over a decade. Prior to joining the Center, Johnston provided leadership to Dixon Hughes Goodman, PLLC as its healthcare marketing manager and has held consulting and marketing communications/ business development roles including with Steelcase Inc., Wake Forest University Health Sciences, and at the Piedmont Triad Research Park (known today as Innovation Quarter).
She is known as an experienced strategic communication and collaborative relationship-building executive; a trusted connector in the entrepreneurial start-up community; and an advisor on talent and workforce development. Her career spans 20 + years of experience in industry, academia, and non-profit organizations. Her research park experience provides a unique perspective on the region, which is home to two developments.
In her current role, she works to engage and educate community leaders about short- and long-term societal and economic benefits of strengthening biotechnology in the 12- county region, working closely with the Advisory Committee for Biotechnology in the Piedmont Triad. She connects needs with resources, promoting the Center’s core programs to help create an ecosystem conducive to biotechnology research, business, education, and strategic policy.
Johnston earned her MA from High Point University, BA from Liberty University, and is a Leadership North Carolina (Class XXIV) alum. She was recently honored by regional leaders with the 2022 Biotechnology Community Leadership Excellence award at Triad BioNight and has been recognized as an Outstanding Woman in Business by the Triad Business Journal. Johnston serves on a variety of national and regional advisory boards and committees focused on supporting entrepreneurial innovation, workforce development, and job growth in the life sciences.