Alex Johnston
Alex Johnston is an adjunct practice instructor in urban technology at Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning. Her work is focused on addressing systemic challenges in mid-size cities that prevent economic growth, social mobility, and human connection. She is the founder and CEO of Cities Reimagined, a human-centered design firm that uses a combination of data and the lived experience of residents to help civic leaders diagnose and solve urban problems.
Since founding Cities Reimagined in 2013, Alex has worked with corporate philanthropy, local government, and global NGOs to design citizen-centered systems that build trust and facilitate connection between people living in urban cities. Alex’s work in Detroit was awarded the HUD Secretary’s Award for Public-Philanthropic Partnerships.
Alex holds a Masters in Cities with Honors from the London School of Economics, an MBA, and a certificate in Creative Cities from NYU. She is also a graduate of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia. Alex is also a Senior Fellow for the Institute of Social Innovation at Babson College where she collaborates with social entrepreneurs to address social, economic, and environmental challenges in cities.
