in January 2017 Malik announced the addition of the North Carolina Courage, an NWSL team which Johnson was named president and general manager of. Both NCFC and the Courage reached the postseason in 2017, as the Courage claimed the NWSL Shield and reached the league’s title game. Johnson also played a pivotal role in negotiating an historic partnership between North Carolina Football Club, Capital Area Soccer League and Triangle Futbol Club, which led to the creation of NCFC Youth, which Johnson currently serves on the board of. As a result, North Carolina Football Club is the largest youth-to-pro soccer organization in the U.S. Ahead of the 2018 season, Johnson helped orchestrate a deals that saw the Courage acquire U.S. Women’s National Team star Crystal Dunn and former USWNT standout Heather O'Reilly, and the team became the first in NWSL history win both the shield and NWSL Championship. Following the 2018 USL season, Johnson made his second NCFC coaching change, as the club announced the hiring of former U.S. Men’s National Team Manager Dave Sarachan on Dec. 17, 2018. With Sarachan in charge, NCFC finished seventh in the USL Championship Eastern Conference and reached the playoffs for the second time in three years in 2019. Meanwhile, the Courage made history by becoming the first team in NWSL history to win a league championship on its home field, as it defeated the Chicago Red Stars 4-0 in front 10,227 spectators, the largest crowd in North Carolina Football Club history. Previous Front Office Experience Johnson’s first stint as a professional soccer executive came in the late 1990s with the Richmond Kickers of the A-League. From 1997-99, Johnson served in a leadership role, both as vice president of operations and general manager. During Johnson’s tenure with the Kickers, the team reached the postseason annually and won the Atlantic Division in 1998. After his third season in Richmond, Johnson was chosen as the general manager of the Kansas City Wizards by Lamar Hunt and Clark Hunt. During his tenure with the Wizards, Johnson made an immediate impact, as Kansas City completed the double by winning both the MLS Supporters’ Shield and the MLS Cup in 2000. Four years later, Johnson and Kansas City once again lifted a trophy in 2004 with a win over the Chicago Fire in the U.S. Open Cup Final. In addition to his tactical and management decision making, Johnson was also