John S Johnson

John Johnson is the founder and chairperson of the Pacific Foundation, which funds innovation in the arts, environment, and social and economic justice. He is the co-founder of buzzfeed.com, a start-up company that detects and accelerates on line buzz about interesting topics. John's background in the nonprofit sector includes conceiving of and founding such well regarded arts institutions as the Filmmakers Collaborative (the venerable indie film non-profit reborn now as a film fund), the Screenwriters Colony. In addition John is the founder of Eyebeam, a MacArthur and NEA funded, pioneering art and technology center for hackers, artists, and educators that facilitates workshops for the general public, artist residencies, and research fellowships. Most recently, John founded and heads the Harmony Institute, a ground breaking non-profit research institute focused on the application of behavioral and neuroscience on storytelling in mainstream entertainment. A double major in the math and philosophy, John received his Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Johns College in Annapolis, Maryland. He also attended New York University Film Schools Transfer Program. John and his wife Susan make their home in New York City. He is a member of the 2003 class of Henry Crown Fellows at the Aspen Institute.