Lonnell Johnson

Described as a "real Renaissance Man," Lonnell Johnson represents a unique collage of experiences as a poet and speaker. He has worked as a pharmacist, information analyst, editor, administrator, director of public relations, and professor.

With a B.S. degree in Pharmacy from Purdue University, Johnson was drafted into the Army in 1967 and served as pharmacy instructor at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. This experience introduced him to the joys of classroom teaching, eventually leading to a Master’s in English from Emporia State University and ultimately a Ph.D. in English from Indiana University. For more than 35 years he taught college English in Kansas, Indiana, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Ohio. As a writer he has published articles on various subjects, such as biblical research and African-American literature.

In 2005 he retired as Professor of English at Otterbein College in Westerville, OH and established Ambassador Press where he published books by eight authors, including his collection of poetry Stone upon Stone: Psalms of Remembrance as well as the personal narrative Watch, Fight and Pray: My Personal Three-fold Strategy to Combat Prostate Cancer. In addition to teaching at National College, he facilitates courses at the University of Phoenix, Columbus Campus and Indiana Wesleyan University—Columbus, Ohio. As Christian Spirituality Examiner for Examiner.com, an Internet publication, Dr. Johnson continues to explore ways to enhance his communication skills in writing and speaking.