O’Dell Johnson is an associate professor of integrative health studies at Saybrook University and Pacific Oaks College, Pasadena, Calif. Additionally, he is a visiting professor/lecturer at the University of Washington, Tacoma, in areas such as psychology, critical thinking/skepticism, AI, and criminal and social justice. Further, he is a research fellow in biomedical science with the University of Arkansas of Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock and the principal investigator of an NIH-funded grant, “Potential of a Universal Basic Income for Justice System Impacted Persons after Reentry to Improve Health and Health Seeking Attitudes.”  

 His primary research interests focus on rural health disparities in under-resourced/underserved communities, particularly those with lived/living experiences of incarceration. His experience in cross-cultural professional spaces has contributed greatly to developing meaningful axiological and epistemological worldviews to advance research and best practices when working with marginalized populations.  

Dr. Johnson earned his B.S. in Theological Science with a specialization in community counseling from St. Louis Christian College, followed by an M.S. in Psychology with a specialization in Transpersonal Psychology from Sofia University, and a Ph.D. in Humanistic Psychology from Saybrook University with a specialization in Transformative Community Psychology. He is the CEO/Founder of the Research Institute for Social Equity and has conducted various studies for nonprofits and corporations in California. Currently, he is in the development stages of the Arkansas Coalition for Higher Education in Prisons and Arkansas Integrative Health and Wellness Center.