Staff Leadership

Cherish Johnson joined the National Ocean Service (NOS) in October 2022 as the chief financial officer/chief administrator and leads the Management and Budget Office (MBO), where she provides leadership, oversight, and coordination of financial, administrative, communication, and product delivery for the NOS and NOAA ocean communities. The MBO is the focal point to oversee the budget formulation and execution, NOS administrative functions, communication services, human capital services, and congressional affairs.

Ms. Johnson has over 20 years of federal government financial management experience. Prior to joining NOS, she was the chief financial officer at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), where she was responsible for establishing budget and financial management policy, served as the principal advisor for the agency on matters related to the overall management and control of the NRC financial resources, and provided executive leadership and direction on all facets of financial management. In a prior role at the NOAA Office of Satellite and Product Operations, Ms. Johnson was the chief financial officer/chief administrative officer and was responsible for the formulation, execution, and accounting of a $2 billion annual budget. In that position, she led the Budgeting, Accounting, Property, and Congressional divisions, as well as the Facilities and Personnel Administrative divisions. Ms. Johnson began her federal career at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration within the Space Operations Mission Directorate, supporting the Space Communications, Space Shuttle, and Space Station Resource and Acquisition offices. She later worked as Mission Support Directorate director, with financial, acquisition, and administrative responsibilities.

She holds a Master of Science in management information systems with a minor in accounting and a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from the University of Houston.