Sarah Johnson is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, raised in the Nation’s capital, Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Growing up surrounded by Cherokee culture and community gave her a perspective rooted in connection, resilience, and responsibility—values that continue to guide her work today.
Sarah earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado where she served as managing copy editor of the campus newspaper, The Independent. Later, she began her career in public health, consulting with community coalitions across Northeastern Oklahoma to support strategic, community-driven health initiatives.
In 2016, the birth of her daughter inspired a shift toward improving maternal health outcones. As a birth advocate, she helped lead the statewide implementation of TeamBirth—a patient-centered communication model developed by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health —in all 44 birthing hospitals in Oklahoma, including the first Tribal hospital implementation at Cherokee Nation W.W. Hastings Hospital.
Alongside this work, Sarah earned a master’s degree in strategic communication and digital strategy from the University of Oklahoma and cultivated a deep understanding of the power of storytelling.Most recently, she served on the marketing team at Cherokee Film, where she reconnected with her passion for uplifting Native communities — a commitment she carries into her current role at Native Ways Federation.
Deeply committed to uplifting Native American voices and stories, Sarah brings both lived experience and professional expertise to her communications work. She continues to reside on the Cherokee Reservation in Owasso, Oklahoma, with her husband, their three children, and their dog, Denver. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, traveling, going to concerts, long walks with a great audiobook, and learning and sharing Cherokee culture with her children.