THE ARCHITECT
Strategic Infrastructure for your Professional Sovereignty
Lead from Who YOU Are. Own Your Value.
I believe that leadership is deeply human. Leadership begins when you own The Currency of YOU™.
Leveraging 20 years of strategic advisory, I provide the blueprint for leaders to move beyond technical expertise to a state of Sovereignty - where your value is authentic, portable, and non-negotiable.
THE BLUEPRINT FOR PROFESSIONAL SOVEREIGNTY™
MINT YOUR CURRENCY™
The Discovery Phase
We work together to audit your authentic self - to discover and "mint" the unique human skills, core values, expertise, and lived experience that comprise your personal currency.
EVIDENCE YOUR IMPACT
The Validation Phase
We curate the evidence of your impact including your professional expertise, talents, and capabilities. By accounting for your academic credentials, performance history, and the specific problems you solve, we turn technical skills into a portable, high-value asset.
CONVEY YOUR SOVEREIGNTY™
The Authority Phase
We build the communication frameworks and narratives required to convey your sovereignty. From refining executive presence to deploying communication as a problem-solving tool, we ensure you communicate your value with ease and authority in any context.
DR.
HUME N. JOHNSON
STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP ADVISORY + COMMUNICATION CONSULTING
Dr. Hume Johnson is a strategic leadership advisor and communication professor whose work focuses on how leaders define themselves, communicate under pressure, and exercise authority in visible roles.
She began her career as a broadcast journalist with Jamaica’s Information Service (JISTV) and Radio Jamaica and, at the age of 21, was appointed to the Prime Minister’s Youth Advisory Council (PMAC). That early appointment placed her inside real decision-making environments where words carry consequence and leadership is tested publicly. Her later work as a political consultant and speechwriter for the Government of Jamaica further strengthened her ability to shape leadership decision-making, public positioning, and communication strategy at the highest levels.
Alongside her academic career, Dr. Johnson has built a substantial leadership development and advisory practice working with organizational leaders across business, government, healthcare, higher education, and the non-profit sector. Her organizational clients have included the former Rhode Island Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea, The Rhode Island Foundation, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, The Commonwealth Secretariat (UK), Jamaica National Bank, Brown University Executive Education and the ALANA Faculty Group of Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).
She works with executives, senior leaders, founders, and public-facing professionals who are technically strong but recognize that leadership requires more than expertise. Her coaching focuses on leadership identity, executive presence and strategic communication as well as public credibility, and decision-making in high-stakes environments —particularly for leaders navigating authority, increased visibility, career transitions, or team growth within complex organizations.
Dr. Johnson’s strategic leadership and advisory work is informed by her proprietary thinking, including The Currency of YOU™ and The H.U.M.E Method. These frameworks are used in her executive coaching, organizational leadership programs, workshops, and keynote engagements. Her work is direct, grounded, and practical - designed to help leaders discover, evidence and articulate their value to achieve Professional Sovereignty: the ability to lead without borrowing authority from from job titles, roles or trends but from who they are and the unique value they deliver.
Public Scholarship + Thought Leadership
Dr. Johnson is an Associate Professor of Communication and Media Studies at Roger Williams University in Rhode Island and previously taught at James Cook University in Australia. She holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Waikato in New Zealand. Her academic work examines identity, leadership, and power across political, media, and organizational contexts.
She teaches courses in organizational communication, crisis communication, media studies, public speaking, and personal branding, and is known for translating theory into practical strategic tools leaders can use. Her scholarship directly informs her advisory work with organizations. She is the author of Brand YOU!: Reinvent Yourself, Redefine Your Future, used in MBA and leadership programs globally, and Brand Jamaica: Reimagining a National Image and Identity, which examines leadership and identity at a personal, national and institutional level.
A recognized public voice on brand and reputation management, leadership and communication, her commentary has appeared in major international media outlets, and she has served as a contributing writer for leading business publications. Across her advisory work, teaching, and writing, she helps leaders and organizations define who they are, how they show up, and how they lead—clearly, credibly, and without compromise.
THE SOVEREIGN STANDARD
01
EXCELLENCE
I believe in the relentless pursuit of personal and professional excellence. I set high standards for myself and my clients, insist on quality and achieve tangible results. I foster a culture where I give and receive feedback as a catalyst for growth and success.
02
PERSONAL GROWTH
I believe in the transformative power of growth and continuous learning. I empower my clients to embrace challenges, expand their skills, push beyond their comfort zone and unlock their full potential to achieve personal and professional success.
03
CLARITY
I believe in the power of clarity to navigate your career journey. Instead of drifting aimlessly, I empower you to define your goals, envision a fulfilling future, and create a strategic roadmap for success. With intentional action and unwavering focus, you'll unlock your full potential and achieve meaningful results.
04
COLLABORATION
I believe in the power of collaboration and teamwork to achieve extraordinary results. Whether building your personal brand, refining your leadership skills, or pursuing shared goals. I foster a supportive environment where everyone's unique strengths are leveraged and valued. I champion collaboration not just as a method, but as a mindset to empowers us to win together.
Approved Photographs
Please contact us if you require any of the approved photos for promotional purposes.
All photos must be credited @HumeJohnson
My Academic Career
Birthday Sparks
City skyline
Blurred Lines
WHAT CLIENTS ARE SAYING
Nickesia Gordon, Ph.D. - Associate Professor of Communication,
Rochester Institute of Technology, RIT
Dr. Hume Johnson's recent Personal Branding and Pedagogy workshop at the Rochester Institute of Technology was a resounding success. Her tailored approach specifically addressed the needs of faculty in Higher Ed, providing them with actionable tools to enhance their personal brand and pedagogical skills. Participants raved about the workshop's usefulness, particularly highlighting Dr. Johnson's insightful presentation and the value of the customized workbook she provided. I wholeheartedly endorse Dr. Johnson as a top-tier expert and trainer in the field of Personal Branding and Leadership.
"Collaborating with Dr. Hume Johnson during the Eastern Academy's Learn and Share series was an absolute pleasure. She delivered a captivating and highly engaging webinar. Dr. Johnson demonstrated exceptional expertise and knowledge of personal branding, which she shared with our participants in a manner that was not only accessible but also incredibly inspiring. Her methodology stands out for its collaborative and interactive approach, fostering an environment where participants felt empowered to engage actively. Feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive, highlighting her ability to connect, inspire, and provide actionable insights. Dr. Johnson's professionalism, passion, and command of her craft make her an outstanding choice for any keynote speaking or coaching opportunity."
"Dr. Hume Johnson shared her expertise as part of our Women in Medicine and Science Professional Development series. Her lecture, "REMOVING YOUR BLINDFOLD: Personal Branding as a Critical Career Management Strategy," provided attendees with new skills and practical tips to communicate their value effectively to colleagues, potential employers and other key stakeholders. As one attendee said "Hume was an excellent and engaging speaker, helped audience work with her!" I wholeheartedly recommend her as an enthusiastic and knowledgeable speaker."
Research and Scholarship
Why My Scholarship Matters
I am an interdisciplinary, community-engaged political scholar. At the core of my early scholarly work, I focused on citizen agency and activism, governance and civil society in Jamaica. My most recent research lies at the intersection of nation branding, public diplomacy, and soft power, with a particular emphasis on postcolonial and post-crisis states.
Yet, my current and most impactful scholarly work lies at the intersection of personal branding, leadership development, and strategic communication, delivered through research-informed coaching programs designed for mid-career professionals with particular emphasis on women and people of color to communicate with confidence, clarity and credibility.
I see these areas not only as tools for individual advancement but also as mechanisms for addressing systemic inequities in access, voice, and visibility for marginalized communities.
My research agenda integrates theory, lived experience, and practice. I design and deliver community-facing coaching programs, curriculum, and workshops for professionals in education, healthcare, public service, business and the nonprofit sector. I engage participants in deep reflection on their personal brand, communication presence, and leadership identity.
These engagements are informed by theories of communication, leadership studies, adult learning, identity performance and personal branding. produce measurable, transformational outcomes in professional visibility, confidence, and communication presence. They are designed not just for transformation, but also for measurable, practice-based outcomes that enhance confidence, communication presence, visibility, and leadership capacity.
DR. HUME'S INTELLECTUAL INSIGHTS
Selected Publications
JAMAICA: A Famous, Strong but Damaged Brand
Journal of Place Branding + Public Diplomacy
In the modern global marketplace, a nation's image, brand, and reputation are critical assets. Countries compete for resources like tourism, investment, and talent. However, negative perceptions stemming from internal issues can overshadow a country's positive achievements. Jamaica, while celebrated for its music, sports, and tourism, faces challenges due to economic instability, crime, and human rights concerns. These issues create a complex and conflicting image, impacting investment, tourism, and overall progress. It's imperative for Jamaica to address these concerns and re-imagine its brand in the context of its evolving situation.
Performing Protest in Jamaica: The Mass Media as Stage
International Journal of Media + Cultural Politics
This study examines the close relationship between contemporary protests and the mass media, focusing on how media coverage, particularly television, shapes and is shaped by protest actions in Jamaica. It draws on empirical data and Kellner's work on media spectacle to analyze how protesters utilize spectacle to attract media attention and advance their cause. Additionally, it explores how media portrayal of protests and protesters can influence their actions and strategies.
Jamaican Dons, Italian Mafias and the Chances of a "Reversible Destiny"
Political Studies
For nearly half a century, Jamaican "dons" have held sway as community leaders in impoverished urban areas, garnering both local acceptance and a degree of unofficial political acknowledgment. Their systematic, coercive control and counter-hegemonic influence mirrors the "godfather"-led criminal structure and power of the Italian Mafia. However, recent years have seen the Mafia's power significantly diminished by increased state intervention and civil resistance, particularly from women within Italian communities. This article explores whether a similar decline in power is conceivable for Jamaica's "dons."
See and Blind, Hear and Deaf: 'Informerphobia in Jamaican Garrisons'
Journal of Crime Prevention and Community Safety
This article investigates the phenomenon of "informerphobia" in Jamaica, exploring the fear that prevents individuals from reporting violence and crime to authorities. Through interviews and research, it examines the causes and implications of this fear, highlighting the need for effective, trustworthy state agencies and a culture of citizen engagement. The concept of informerphobia itself, along with its application to the Jamaican context, offers a fresh perspective on addressing societal challenges.
Teaching
My Teaching Philosophy
Teaching - for me - is a practice of self-discovery and actualization. It is rooted in my commitment to personal branding and growth, critical identity development, and transformational leadership.
I approach teaching not as a one-way transmission of knowledge, but as a co-creative and dialogic process where students are encouraged to explore their personal brand - who they are, the unique value they can deliver in their niche through their unique skills, what they believe in or stand for, and how they wish to engage with the world.
The classroom is therefore a space where students cultivate the confidence and clarity to become change agents in their professions and communities. For me, personal branding is not only a reflective inward-facing process of identity formation; it is also an outward-facing, skill-driven practice.
Whether students are learning to speak persuasively, craft clear messages, navigate crisis communication, or analyze organizational culture, these competencies are part of how they define, embody, and express their unique voice and leadership potential.
Higher education, in my view, should not be about imprinting students with our ideas but about equipping them with the capacity for self-awareness, critical thought, purposeful communication, and meaningful action. In this sense, personal identity and leadership are not peripheral to the teaching and learning process; they are its foundation.
What Students Are Saying
Courses I Teach: Personal Branding, Public Speaking, Communication in Organizations, Communicating in Crisis, and Media Studies.
Professor Hume Johnson, you could make me nervous but in the best way possible. Your class was one of the most interesting in my life, and your teaching style made it easy to remember the information. Making us do group work was effective and prepares us for our jobs in the future. You were a good mix of being light and funny but also vocal when we could improve. I learned a lot.
Kate
Introduction to the Mass Media
Professor Hume Johnson has been my best professor at RWU. She made public speaking interesting to learn. She created a positive atmosphere; the class was a tight knit community. She pushed me out of my comfort zone and I rose to the challenge. Everyone should take at least one class with Dr. Johnson during their time at RWU.
Aidan
Introduction to Public Speaking
Your courses taught me how to prepare and execute effective speeches, create an appealing presentation, and to define my personal brand. Enrolling in your Introduction to Mass Media helped me outgrow my shyness! I enjoyed finishing my college career taking your Communicating in Crisis course and found the curriculum incredibly helpful and important.
Sarah
Communicating in Crisis + Introduction to Mass Media
Moments that Matter
A glimpse into the experiences and people that inspire and motivate me to empower leaders to unlock their full potential.
MINT YOUR CURRENCY. ASSERT YOUR AUTHORITY. CLAIM SOVEREIGNTY
Let’s explore the work ahead - together.