About Blake Johnson, JD

After college Blake thought he’d stick around the town of his alma mater and looked for a meaningful first job. He found a local chapter of a national nonprofit organization, where he was introduced to fundraising. He found his calling. Of which he says, people have a need to do good. That’s why they give. It’s the fundraiser who helps shepherd the donor’s story into the world. His career path includes public service, law school as well as political and nonprofit fundraising. He confidently made transitions because early on he identified his passion, each move (9 states in total) fostered his values and worldview. In this episode Blake shares what it took to secure and accept a gift of cryptocurrency. He tells us how references can make a difference in your job search. He highlights the importance of demonstrating your commitment to the nonprofit sector by volunteering. Should you go to law school? Blake doesn’t know but does give you some great things to think about as make your decision, even as specific as which schools are right for you. Finally, when it comes to nonprofit leadership and how we ensure the work is improving the entire community, Blake recalls a favorite call to action derived from policy making and adopted by the disability rights community, “nothing about us without us.”