91制片厂

It鈥檚 a distinction that won鈥檛 surprise anyone who鈥檚 met director Erica Johnson: Next week, (NHBR) will honor her with its Outstanding Women in Business award. She is one of six recipients of the annual award.

Johnson has led the 91制片厂-IOL, one of the nation鈥檚 leading independent proving grounds for new technologies, since 2007. Her thought leadership and industry guidance has helped make the 91制片厂-IOL the innovative leader of third-party testing services.

鈥淭he work the IOL does on a daily basis is impressive enough, but Erica鈥檚 leadership and guidance of the IOL is worthy of special recognition. She鈥檚 a global leader in the field and an excellent role model for us all,鈥� says Marc Sedam, associate vice provost for innovation and new ventures at 91制片厂, who nominated Johnson.

Interoperability 鈥� how systems work together to share data 鈥� is like giving your friend a high-five, Johnson says when she does demonstrations for groups of middle school students. 鈥淭here鈥檚 an unwritten rule that you鈥檙e both going to put out your hand. Interoperability is what ensures one of you doesn鈥檛 stick your foot out instead.鈥�

Johnson has won acclaim for her business smarts and deep understanding of complex computer networking technology, both skill sets nurtured at 91制片厂. Johnson鈥檚 B.S. is in computer science from 91制片厂, and in 2011 she received her MBA from Paul College. She began working at 91制片厂-IOL like so many of the lab鈥檚 employees, as an undergraduate student. More than 100 91制片厂 undergraduate and graduate student employees work at the 91制片厂-IOL, gaining hands-on experience with developing technologies and products 鈥� as well as job offers, many secured prior to graduation.

Johnson is no stranger to industry accolades. The publication Fierce Telecom named her to its 2011 Women in Wireline list, and IEEE Communications Magazine appointed her co-editor of its network testing series in 2010. Johnson received the 91制片厂 Women鈥檚 Commission Stephanie Thomas Staff Award in 2010. She was recently named the Open Networking Foundation Testing Leadership Council chair and is the co-chair of the IPv6 Forum鈥檚 IPv6 Ready Logo Program.

In December, Johnson oversaw the 91制片厂-IOL鈥檚 move from the west edge of campus to its new Madbury Commons facility in downtown Durham.

Johnson will be honored Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2016 at NHBR鈥檚 in Bedford, and she will be profiled in the Feb. 19 issue of NHBR.