Byron Johnson advises healthcare organizations, executives and boards navigating policy pressure, regulatory scrutiny, crises, media attention and reputational risk.
For more than 25 years, Byron has worked at the intersection of healthcare, policy, advocacy and communications. His work spans government relations strategy, coalition and alliance development, federal and multistate advocacy, crisis communications, issue management and reputation management. He helps leaders understand what is changing, identify who matters and build practical strategies that protect reputation and move stakeholders.
Before joining Jarrard, Byron built and led a healthcare public affairs advisory practice serving healthcare organizations, insurers and coalitions. He also held senior leadership roles at FleishmanHillard, Widmeyer Communications and SevenTwenty Strategies. In those roles, he managed multidisciplinary teams and complex engagements involving CMS rulemaking, reimbursement debates, regulatory scrutiny and high-stakes public issues.
Byron has counseled senior leaders through emerging and active crises, developed response and escalation protocols, and prepared executives for national media interviews, congressional hearings and sensitive policy announcements. He has also built legislative, regulatory and media monitoring systems across 12 states and led coalition campaigns during periods of federal and state scrutiny.
Worth Knowing:
- Featured in first newspaper story at age 3
- Has “mix-handedness” (not quite ambidextrous)
- Got stuck in the middle of an NSYNC riot featuring thousands of teens
