CLEVELAND – The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) has announced a third Featured Speaker for the 58th Annual NACDA & Affiliates Convention at the World Center Marriott Resort in Orlando, Fla. Inky Johnson – husband, father, collegiate athlete, entrepreneur and author – will address all attendees during an Association-Wide Featured Session on Wednesday, June 14 at 9 a.m. to open the last full day of programming.
 
Johnson earned his master's degree in sports psychology from the University of Tennessee (UT). He was a three-year letterman and two-year captain on the football team, where he started as a cornerback. In his junior year he was projected as a top-30 NFL draft pick. Unfortunately, on September 9, 2006, he sustained a life threatening, career-ending injury that paralyzed his right arm and hand. Since that day, Johnson has had a burning desire to use his situation and experiences to add value to people's lives.
 
Johnson's gift of being an effective communicator has allowed him to cross over into different industries. He is a leader called upon by leaders, and has inspired teams at organizations such as Dell Technologies, State Farm, The Coca-Cola Company, University of Alabama, University of Texas, UCLA, Clemson University and the Orlando Magic.
 
His words have resonated all over the world — "The one thing we all have in common is that we will encounter adversity, but we have to decide how we respond to it. My arm and my hand are paralyzed but my heart isn't, my mind isn't, my dedication isn't, my work ethic isn't, my commitment isn't." Johnson is on a mission to serve and is someone that takes tremendous pride in what he does.
 
Johnson is the host of Serendipity with Inky Johnson Podcast. He devotes time to mentoring athletes and underprivileged youth and is one of the founders of The Inky and Allison Johnson Foundation. Johnson and his wife, Allison, live in Atlanta, Ga. with their two children, Jada and Inky Jr., and their puppy, Chase.
 
Hotel and Convention registration for #NACDA23 is live. Visit nacda.com/convention for more information.
 
About NACDA: Now in its 58th year, NACDA is the professional and educational Association for more than 22,000 college athletics administrators at more than 2,200 institutions throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. NACDA manages 18 professional associations and four foundations. In addition to virtual programming, NACDA hosts five major professional development events in-person annually. The NACDA & Affiliates Convention is the largest gathering of collegiate athletics administrators in the country. For more information, visit www.nacda.com.