Janie Johnson

Janie Peveto Johnson is the CEO of the United Way of Mid & South Jefferson County, where she has served for
15 years, leading with vision, grit, and a passion for community impact. Under her leadership, United Way MSJC
has grown its reach year after year—expanding grant opportunities, increasing investments back into the
community, and launching innovative programs uniquely designed for local needs. These include early literacy
initiatives, United We Work to support working families, a thriving community garden, and a regional virtual
volunteer center that connects people to meaningful service.
Beyond her local impact, Janie is shaping the future of the United Way Worldwide Network. She is one of just
36 elected CEOs serving on the Network Advisory Council, where she co-chairs the International
Communications Committee and the Network Accountability Project Team, in addition to contributing to
several other global committees. Over the last five years, she has worked alongside peers to strengthen
accountability, communications, and collaboration across the network, ensuring that United Way remains a
trusted force for change worldwide.
Janie brings nearly three decades of nonprofit experience to her work. She began her career at the Women &
Children’s Shelter and Healthy Families program, later serving as Marketing Manager for the San Jacinto Girl
Scouts and then as Executive Director of the American Red Cross in Orange County. Her time with the Red
Cross placed her at the center of some of the most significant disasters of our time, including Hurricanes
Katrina, Rita, Ike, and the recovery efforts following the Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy—an experience
captured in the book Finding Heroes. These roles, rooted in service and resilience, shaped her as a leader and
deepened her resolve to build stronger, more connected communities.
In addition to her professional leadership, Janie has been active in volunteer and civic roles, including past
presidencies with the Port Arthur Rotary Club, the Southeast Texas Nonprofit Development Center, and the
Port Arthur Convention & Visitors Bureau. She has also served on boards and councils at the state and national
level, championing nonprofit effectiveness and collaboration.
A proud fifth-generation Texan native with family roots stretching back to the 1800s in Orangefield, Janie has
always called Southeast Texas home. Janie and husband Rob enjoy family time, road trips, and traveling. Their
son is a senior at Lamar and is planning to continue forward towards his MBA.

Civic Involvement of present and past:
United Way Worldwide Network Advisory Council (NAC)
NAC International Communications Co-Chair
United Way Worldwide Network Accountability Project Team Co-Chair
United Way Worldwide 2023 Transformation Task Force
Port Neches Industrial Community Advisory Panel Member
Past United Way Worldwide Value Proposition Committee
Past United Way Worldwide Operating Model Task Force OMTF
Past OMTF Segmentation Co-Chair
Past Rotary Port Arthur Member & Past President (Past member in Beaumont & Orange)
Past Nonprofit Development Center Current Board of Directors and Past President
Past United Ways of Texas Board of Directors
Past United Ways of Texas Value Proposition Committee
Past United Way Worldwide Small & Mighty Advisory
Past Board Member and Past President Port Arthur Convention & Visitors Bureau
Past Board Member Texas AmeriCorps Council

Honors
·Recipient of the Rotary Paul Harris Fellow
·Past Recipient of the Port Arthur Cosmopolitan Mason Lodge Community Builders Award
·Past Recipient of the Orange Altrusa Women of the Year
·Charitable Fundraisers Honorable Mention