Distinguished Alumni Award
David Johnson
Chief Executive Officer, Fletcher Group, Inc.
College of Health Sciences
Class of ’73, P’98
David Johnson graduated from Boise State College in 1973 with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work before earning a Master of Social Work from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Over the next five decades, he built a distinguished career in mental health, substance use treatment and behavioral health administration, serving in academic, nonprofit and private-sector leadership roles across the country.
Johnson began his career at the Idaho Youth Ranch as director of adolescent group homes before joining the Boise State faculty. During his 14 years at Boise State, he earned tenure and the rank of full professor, served as chair of the Department of Social Work and led the development of Idaho’s first Master of Social Work program, which achieved accreditation candidacy on its first submission. His research focused on homelessness, program evaluation and the nonprofit sector, including work with the Urban Institute on a national study of nonprofit organizations.
Following his time at Boise State, Johnson held executive leadership positions with Vydas Resources, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Amerigroup/Anthem and the Fletcher Group, where he has served as CEO since 2017. Throughout his career, he has led initiatives that expanded behavioral health services, integrated mental health care into primary care settings, advanced health care technology and strengthened recovery services in rural communities through research, technical assistance and organizational leadership. His work has also included national initiatives and international consulting, including a project in Abu Dhabi to help design a financial model for the United Arab Emirates’ health care system.
Johnson has authored or co-authored more than 40 journal articles and public policy reports on behavioral health, population health and health care outcomes. He was recognized as Boise State University’s Distinguished Faculty member in 1988 and Idaho Social Worker of the Year in 1991. He continues to serve on the Boise State School of Social Work Community Advisory Group. Johnson and his family have maintained a lasting connection to Boise State, including his daughter, Jennifer, who graduated in 1998 with a Bachelor of Business Administration and his son-in-law, Matthew Ineck, who graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.