Claire Hughes Johnson ’90
Claire Hughes Johnson, Milton Academy Class of 1990, will succeed Lisa Donohue ’83 as president of the Milton Academy Board of Trustees beginning July 1, 2022. Since joining the Board in 2010, Hughes Johnson’s devotion to serving the school has been evident through her guidance in the areas of finance; campus master planning; faculty and staff support; diversity, equity, and inclusion; technology; and development. Hughes Johnson joined the Board’s Executive Committee in 2020.
“I attribute much of my success in life to Milton Academy, and I am honored to serve as its next Board president,” Hughes Johnson said. “I have been so fortunate to grow up at a place like Milton, venture out to establish a career and a family, and then return with new perspectives and renewed loyalty. We live in complex times and it’s more important than ever that our students can thrive and lead into the future.”
As a “lifer,” having attended from Kindergarten through Grade 12, Hughes Johnson’s deep connection to Milton informs her decision-making and thoughtful counsel. She is committed to fulfilling the Board’s mission of maintaining Milton’s academic excellence while positioning the school and its students to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world. She is also heading the search for Milton’s next head of school.
“I attribute much of my success in life to Milton Academy, and I am honored to serve as its next Board president. I have been so fortunate to grow up at a place like Milton, venture out to establish a career and a family, and then return with new perspectives and renewed loyalty. We live in complex times and it’s more important than ever that our students can thrive and lead into the future.”
– Trustee Claire Hughes Johnson ’90
Hughes Johnson is a corporate officer and advisor for the global financial technology company Stripe, where she has spent the last seven years on the executive team. She served as chief operating officer from 2014 to 2021, helping the company grow substantially in size and revenue. At various times in her tenure at Stripe, Hughes Johnson led business operations, sales, marketing, customer support, risk, and recruiting and human resources.
Prior to joining Stripe, Hughes Johnson spent 10 years working at Google, leading various business teams including the launch and operations of Gmail and Google Apps. She was the vice president in charge of Adwords global mid-market revenue, Google Offers sales, product, and engineering, and the business, operations, and product teams of the Google self-driving car project.
In addition to Milton’s Board of Trustees, Hughes Johnson serves on the board of the renewable-energy company Ameresco, the autonomous-vehicle company Aurora, and the multi-platform publication The Atlantic. She earned a bachelor’s degree with honors from Brown University and an M.B.A. from the Yale School of Management. Hughes Johnson and her husband, Jesse, recently returned to the area and have two children at Milton.
“I have had the pleasure of working closely with Claire not only during our years together on Milton’s Board, but also while she was at Google,” said Board President Lisa Donohue. “I look forward to continuing that work throughout the coming months as Head of School Todd Bland and I spend the remainder of this academic year conducting the transition of Board leadership to Claire. I know without reservation that Claire will be an excellent leader to help shepherd the school into the future and continue its commitment to providing an outstanding education and experience for Milton students.”
“During my time at Milton, I have been honored to serve with two amazing Board chairs in Brad Bloom and Lisa Donohue,” Bland said. “I have had the pleasure of collaborating with Claire for most of my tenure at the school, and I know that she will continue to be a delight to work with as she takes on this critical role. I couldn’t be more confident in Claire’s leadership of the Board moving forward.”
