Maggie Johnston
Black Warrior River watershed

Maggie Johnston grew up in north central Mississippi playing in the woods and streams. She attended the University of Southern Mississippi for her undergrad where she discovered paddling beautiful tranquil creeks such as Black Creek. She taught science at the Alabama School for the Deaf (ASD) in Talladega, AL where she lived on the banks of Talladega Creek in Waldo. She and her dog friends hiked the Pinhoti and played in the Creek in her backyard. She developed a love for whitewater on Talladega Creek and NC creeks, but has settled into more of a drift and fish mentality with her husband, Mark Johnston, in the last few years.

 

 

Maggie retired from ASD in 2004 to manage the educational programs at Camp McDowell. She was director of McDowell Environmental Center, helped to start the McDowell Farm School, and then started Alabama’s first nature-based preschool, Magnolia Nature School at Camp McDowell. Maggie’s latest adventure is as Executive Director of Wild Alabama. She is thrilled for this opportunity to protect and defend the waters that make Alabama special. Maggie and Mark have four children and four grandchildren, four dogs, and six chickens, wow!