University of Hawai‘i Vice President Linda Johnsrud named Pacific Business News' 2009 Businesswoman of the Year

University of Hawaiʻi

University of Hawaiʻi Vice President for Academic Planning and Policy Linda Johnsrud was recently named the 2009 Businesswoman of the Year by Pacific Business News.

In receiving the award, Johnsrud was recognized for her vision and innovation in ensuring that the University of Hawaiʻi‘s 10 campuses serve the needs of both students and the state.

"Linda has done an outstanding job in linking the goals and outcomes of the university with the needs of the state," said UH President David McClain. "What makes her a remarkable leader is that she mentors people constantly. Doctoral students come up to her office to meet with her, faculty and colleagues turn to her."

The chief academic officer for the university and advisor to the president on matters relating to systemwide planning, policy development and analysis, Johnsrud is also credited for conducting research that helps measure how the university is performing and for the university‘s successful efforts at maintaining its systemwide accreditation.

She was instrumental in leading UH‘s recent update of its strategic plan and in creating performance measures for that plan. She helped create a dashboard as a visual aid to help monitor UH‘s progress in meeting 10 goals, including increasing the number of degrees and certificates awarded, increasing nonstate revenue streams and decreasing the university‘s deferred-maintenance backlog.

Serving as vice president since March 2005, Johnsrud also oversees P-20 initiatives. She was named interim associate vice president for planning and policy in 2003 and was appointed interim vice president in 2005. She has also served as acting/interim chancellor for UH West Oʻahu and interim vice chancellor for academic affairs for UH Manoa.

She was elected 2006—07 president of the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE), an international association of scholars in the field of higher education. Author of more than 100 scholarly publications and refereed presentations, Johnsrud holds the rank of professor in the Department of Educational Administration in the College of Education at UH Mānoa. In 2000, she was elected to lead the Postsecondary Division of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) and served on the AERA executive council (2000—02). Selected as a 1998—99 fellow of the American Council on Education, she has also served as associate dean for academic affairs for the College of Education, director of the University of Hawaiʻi Professional Assembly, and chair of the UH Mānoa Faculty Senate.

In the community, Johnsrud serves on the boards of Enterprise Honolulu, Aloha United Way, Women in Higher Education Administration, and is a member of the Early Learning Council. She is a frequent speaker on campuses and in the community.