Rachelle Johnson

If you had asked me a few years ago whether I would ever run for public office, my answer would have been a quick and confident "no."

Like many people, I viewed public service as something done by someone else. I was busy building a career, raising a family, and navigating the day-to-day responsibilities that come with both.

Then a simple question changed everything.

One of my son's teachers asked whether I had ever considered running for the Harford County Board of Education. At first, I dismissed the idea. But the question stayed with me.

Over the following months, I began talking with educators, parents, current and former board members, and members of the community. The more I listened, the more I realized how important local leadership is, and how directly those decisions impact students, families, educators, and the community as a whole.

What ultimately led me to run was not politics.

It was service.

As a parent of two neurodiverse children, including one son on the autism spectrum, I have spent years navigating educational systems, advocating for my children, and working alongside teachers, administrators, healthcare providers, and support staff. Those experiences gave me a firsthand understanding of both the strengths of our schools and the challenges families sometimes face.

Professionally, I have spent more than twenty years helping organizations solve problems, manage resources responsibly, and build systems that support long-term success. The more I reflected on those experiences, the more I realized they might be valuable beyond my professional career.

At some point, I came to a simple conclusion: if we want strong communities, we need people who are willing to step forward and serve.

Too often, we assume someone else will do it.

• Someone else will volunteer.
• Someone else will run.
• Someone else will solve the problem.

But healthy communities depend on people who are willing to contribute their time, experience, and perspective when they are called upon.

Whether serving on a nonprofit board, coaching a youth sports team, volunteering in a school, or seeking elected office, public service takes many forms. None of them require perfection. They simply require a willingness to participate.

One of the greatest lessons I have learned through this experience is that leadership is less about having all the answers and more about being willing to listen, learn, and help.

I do not know what the future holds, but I am grateful that I said yes to the opportunity to serve.

Sometimes the most meaningful opportunities in life begin with a question we never expected to hear and a decision to step forward despite uncertainty.

For me, that question was simple:

"Have you ever thought about running?"

The answer changed my life.

Leadership Lessons I Learned From Being a Parent

When people ask me where I learned the most about leadership, they often expect me to talk about my career in finance and operations, building my own consulting business, or serving as a Chief Financial Officer.

The truth is that some of the most important leadership lessons I have learned came from being a mother.

My husband and I are raising two neurodiverse sons, one of whom is on the autism spectrum. Like many families, we have spent years navigating schools, healthcare systems, evaluations, therapies, and countless meetings. Along the way, I gained a deeper appreciation for the educators, healthcare providers, support staff, and specialists who dedicate their careers to helping children succeed.

I also learned lessons that have shaped how I lead, both professionally and personally.

The First Lesson Is the Importance of Listening

As leaders, we are often expected to have answers. As parents—especially parents of children with unique needs—we quickly learn that listening is often more valuable than speaking. Teachers, specialists, healthcare providers, family members, and, most importantly, our children themselves all bring perspectives that help us make better decisions.

The same is true in leadership. The strongest leaders are not necessarily the ones with all the answers. They are the ones willing to listen, learn, and adapt when presented with new information.

The Second Lesson Is Patience

Progress rarely happens as quickly as we would like. Whether helping a child develop a new skill, overcome a challenge, or build confidence, growth often occurs in small steps that may be difficult to recognize from day to day.

The same is true in organizations. Meaningful change takes time. Strong leaders understand that success is not always measured by immediate results but by creating environments where people can continue to grow and improve over time.

The Third Lesson Is Recognizing That Every Person Starts From a Different Place

One of the greatest gifts my children have given me is the understanding that people experience the world differently. Every child learns differently. Every employee brings different strengths. Every family faces different circumstances.

Effective leadership is not about treating everyone exactly the same. It is about understanding individual needs, removing barriers when possible, and creating opportunities for people to succeed.

Another Lesson Is Humility

As a parent, there have been many moments when I did not have all the answers. There were times when I needed to ask for help, seek expert guidance, or rethink my assumptions. Those experiences taught me that leadership is not about projecting certainty. It is about having the confidence to learn, grow, and make better decisions when presented with new information.

Finally, I Learned the Importance of Grace

People are carrying challenges we cannot always see. Employees, colleagues, parents, students, and community members often bring unseen struggles into every interaction. Extending grace does not mean lowering expectations. It means leading with empathy while maintaining accountability.

Leadership is often described as the ability to influence others. I have come to believe that it is also the ability to serve others.

My children have taught me more about resilience, patience, humility, and perseverance than any conference, leadership seminar, or business textbook ever could. They have challenged me to become a better listener, a more thoughtful leader, and a stronger advocate for others.

Some of the most meaningful leadership lessons are not learned in boardrooms. They are learned around kitchen tables, during difficult conversations, and through the everyday experiences that shape who we become.

For that, I will always be grateful.