Dr. Amy Johnson is a Conservation Biologist and Program Director of Smithsonian's Virginia Working Landscapes (VWL). In this role, Johnson leads a team that cultivates a dynamic network of private landowners, citizen scientists, NGO’s, state agencies and scientists to collectively investigate the impacts of conservation management and land use on biodiversity. VWL research activities occur almost entirely on privately-owned working lands, demonstrating the importance of multi-faceted collaborations for acquiring the knowledge needed to move conservation forward in human-dominated landscapes.

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A former Smithsonian-Mason Conservation Science Fellow, Johnson's current research focuses on studying the responses of grassland bird communities to conservation practices such as native grassland restoration and regenerative grazing. She and her team are also working with partners to study methods for establishing and managing native grasslands, and motivations behind conservation behaviors on private lands.

In addition to research, she and her team are committed to developing effective outreach strategies that communicate current research findings to inform best management practices for regional conservation partners and land managers.