Janelle worked for over 4 decades as a reporter, editor and producer for local, national and international broadcasting organizations. She began her career in Poughkeepsie, NY as the first full-time female broadcaster in the Hudson Valley where she anchored the news and covered local events from car crashes to country board meetings. She moved to Washington D.C. to work for the Voice of America, where her assignments ranged from the Pope’s U.S. visit to the first International Women’s Year Conference in Mexico City.  After taking 10 years off to raise her three children, Janelle joined the Washington bureau of ABC Radio as an editor, then finished out her career producing a public radio interview program and daily features for AARP.

Janelle has always been active in her community. She served as President of her Civic Association in Silver Spring, and is currently Vice President of her Civic Association in Arlington.  She was a committed advocate for public schools in Montgomery County, testifying before the Board of Education in a successful effort to save a pioneering language immersion program, and on the front lines of a contentious, ultimately winning campaign to build a sorely-needed new high school.

For the past 7 years, Janelle has taught English as a Second Language to adults throughout the DMV in the classroom and online. The opportunity to interact with and help people from every corner of the world and every conceivable background has been the most rewarding, joyous challenge of her career.  

Janelle lives in Arlington with her husband, Byron Johnson, a retired engineer who spent his career at the FAA. Between them they have 6 children and 7 (and counting) grandchildren.

 From the moment I first heard about it, I thought the concept of Impact100 DC was brilliant! I love having the opportunity to get together with other women to pool resources and award a grant that can truly make a difference.  We get to expand our own horizons and, hopefully, leave the DMV better for it.