Meet Whitney Johnson

We recently connected with Whitney Johnson and have shared our conversation below.

Whitney , thank you so much for joining us and offering your lessons and wisdom for our readers. One of the things we most admire about you is your generosity and so we’d love if you could talk to us about where you think your generosity comes from.

I wish I could say my generosity comes from an abundance of money, but the truth is, it comes from the very things I didn’t have while going into foster care. I don’t always see it as generosity, but rather as a responsibility to support and a duty to give. Growing up, I often knew the ache of going without, yet it was in those moments that people chose to see me, to care for me, and to love me like Jesus does. Their compassion changed the course of my life. What I give now is simply the echo of their love, a way of ensuring others feel the same safety, dignity, and hope that once mended me.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I love traveling with my family. Each journey across the country has opened our eyes to the beautiful diversity of people and places, reminding us that compassion grows when we step outside of ourselves. These experiences have shown me that there is a much larger purpose beyond our duty to self, there is a responsibility to love and uplift others.

In my work, I focus on foster care reform, especially advocating for relational permanency for youth aging out of foster care. For many of these young people, returning home is not an option, and traditional adoption may not be the right fit. I work to reimagine what permanency can look like, building lifelong relationships and support systems that offer belonging, stability, and hope.

What excites me most is seeing how love, community, and human connection can rewrite a young person’s future. This isn’t just work for me, it’s a calling, and it’s a promise that no young person should have to face the world alone.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

If I had to choose one thread that has quietly shaped every part of my journey, it would be mercy. Mercy, to me, is not just a quality. it is a skill, and even a form of wisdom. It’s knowing when to extend it to others, recognizing when we desperately need it ourselves, and having the courage to live it out with grace.

Mercy is an ‘old’ word, one that I think has been quietly forgotten in our language, yet it holds so much power. It carries forgiveness, nurtures growth, and anchors us in humility. To anyone just beginning their journey, I would say: do not be afraid to let mercy guide you. Let it soften how you see others, and let it heal how you see yourself. It will transform the way you lead, love, and live.

What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?

My foster parents took me in when I was 17 years old, and to this day, they are undoubtedly my parents. What they gave me was more than shelter or guidance; they gave me the quiet, steadfast gift of presence. They chose me. In every season, through the storms and the celebrations, even when they were personally tired or stretched thin, they stayed.

What they modeled was something rare and extraordinary: family as a commitment, not a circumstance. They showed me that love is not measured by biology or paperwork, but by the willingness to remain. Adoption was never an option in my case, yet they practiced what I now know as relational permanency. Their love taught me that true family is built through showing up, again and again, until belonging takes root.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.gilliardandcompany.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gilliardandcompany/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GilliardandCompany/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gilliardandcompany