Tim Johnson
Tim Johnson is running for SSUSD Board Member Area 3 in Ridgecrest, California, an open seat. Election day is November 3, 2026.
My life has been rooted in service to others from a young age. I became involved with the Boy Scouts and my church youth group, where I volunteered my time in community service projects. At age 12, I started a newspaper route, and throughout high school I worked at McDonald’s and Sonic. After graduating from high school, I joined the United States Navy.
I enlisted in the Navy as an E-1 and progressed to E-6 before being selected for a commission as a Naval officer. During my 40-year active-duty and reserve career, I served throughout the United States and in Iraq, ultimately retiring as a Navy Captain (O-6).
During my active-duty assignment at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, I completed my Associate of Arts degree at Cerro Coso Community College. After my active-duty service, I continued my education and began working at NAWCWD China Lake, where I remained until my retirement in 2022.
I hold a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, a master's degree in aviation systems, and I am a graduate of the United States Naval Test Pilot School. I first came to China Lake as a young sailor in 1982, intending to stay for “three years, like most people do.” Instead, China Lake became home, and I built a career centered on leadership, accountability, service, and mission success.
My wife, Barb, and I raised four children, all of whom are graduates of SSUSD's Burroughs High School. They are now contributing to their communities and raising families of their own. Barb also dedicated more than 30 years to educating children at Pierce Elementary School.
Service and education have always been important parts of my family. My father was a preacher and school board member, while my mother was a kindergarten teacher for more than 35 years. Their example taught me the importance of serving others and providing opportunities for young people to reach their full potential.
Serving on the school board gives me the opportunity to continue that commitment. I believe public education is one of the great equalizers in our country because it provides ALL children with the opportunity to succeed in whatever path they choose: Vocational, military service, or college.
I have served on the school board for 13 years over the past 18 years, and I believe that experience has given me the knowledge, perspective, and understanding necessary to continue serving our students, families, teachers, and community.
I have a particularly strong connection to our military-connected students and families. My military and civil service careers at China Lake have given me a perspective that no other current board member possesses. With nearly 5,000 students whose parents or guardians either work on or are connected to the base, understanding the relationship between our school district and the military community is vital to the success of our district.
I have also served as an elected delegate to the California School Boards Association (CSBA) and am a graduate of the CSBA Masters in Governance program. I currently serve as the district's board representative to the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools (NAFIS) and the Federal Lands Impacted Schools Association (FLISA). Through these organizations, I advocate at the state and federal levels to ensure our district receives its fair share of federal funding.
After a lifetime of service—from a young volunteer and newspaper carrier, to a sailor, Navy Captain, engineer, civil servant, husband, father, grandfather, and school board member—I remain committed to serving our students and community and ensuring every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
I enlisted in the Navy as an E-1 and progressed to E-6 before being selected for a commission as a Naval officer. During my 40-year active-duty and reserve career, I served throughout the United States and in Iraq, ultimately retiring as a Navy Captain (O-6).
During my active-duty assignment at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, I completed my Associate of Arts degree at Cerro Coso Community College. After my active-duty service, I continued my education and began working at NAWCWD China Lake, where I remained until my retirement in 2022.
I hold a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, a master's degree in aviation systems, and I am a graduate of the United States Naval Test Pilot School. I first came to China Lake as a young sailor in 1982, intending to stay for “three years, like most people do.” Instead, China Lake became home, and I built a career centered on leadership, accountability, service, and mission success.
My wife, Barb, and I raised four children, all of whom are graduates of SSUSD's Burroughs High School. They are now contributing to their communities and raising families of their own. Barb also dedicated more than 30 years to educating children at Pierce Elementary School.
Service and education have always been important parts of my family. My father was a preacher and school board member, while my mother was a kindergarten teacher for more than 35 years. Their example taught me the importance of serving others and providing opportunities for young people to reach their full potential.
Serving on the school board gives me the opportunity to continue that commitment. I believe public education is one of the great equalizers in our country because it provides ALL children with the opportunity to succeed in whatever path they choose: Vocational, military service, or college.
I have served on the school board for 13 years over the past 18 years, and I believe that experience has given me the knowledge, perspective, and understanding necessary to continue serving our students, families, teachers, and community.
I have a particularly strong connection to our military-connected students and families. My military and civil service careers at China Lake have given me a perspective that no other current board member possesses. With nearly 5,000 students whose parents or guardians either work on or are connected to the base, understanding the relationship between our school district and the military community is vital to the success of our district.
I have also served as an elected delegate to the California School Boards Association (CSBA) and am a graduate of the CSBA Masters in Governance program. I currently serve as the district's board representative to the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools (NAFIS) and the Federal Lands Impacted Schools Association (FLISA). Through these organizations, I advocate at the state and federal levels to ensure our district receives its fair share of federal funding.
After a lifetime of service—from a young volunteer and newspaper carrier, to a sailor, Navy Captain, engineer, civil servant, husband, father, grandfather, and school board member—I remain committed to serving our students and community and ensuring every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
