Biography

Natalie Johnson served for more than 19 years as a secondary mathematics teacher. She taught various subjects in high school mathematics at Waubonsie Valley and Metea Valley High Schools: Geometry, Honors Precalculus, Advanced Placement AB and BC Calculus for freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Dr. Johnson wrote and successfully administered a college test prep curriculum to address the needs of struggling mathematics students within the high school. For six years, she benchmarked best practices, collaborated with colleagues, and worked with community partners to deliver best practices that met student needs and inspired critical thinking. After retiring from K-12 in 2020, she moved on to higher education where she currently serves as Department Chair and Assistant Professor of Mathematics at National-Louis University in Chicago, IL. Her love for teaching and motivating others is evident by Natalie’s application of Standards for Mathematical Practice and Illinois Articulation Initiative to facilitate learning in and beyond the classroom. Under her tutelage, students competed and placed in national competitions in robotics, autonomous vehicle challenges, and mathematics. In her classroom, Natalie facilitates learning face-to-face and remotely in various ways including individual work, group work, flipped classrooms and project-based, real life learning. Natalie earned a B.A., cum laude, in pure mathematics from Talladega College, an M.S. in applied mathematics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, an M.A., cum laude, in secondary education from Lewis University, and a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Grand Canyon University. She holds a professional state teacher license in mathematics for grades 6-12.