Danita Johnson: The catalyst behind D.C. United’s renaissance

United’s president of business operations Danita Johnson speaks on her unique position within the major league soccer industry, her commitment to community service and her identity’s influence on her leadership style. (Photo courtesy of D.C. United)& Credit:& Hannah Wagner At the helm of D.C. United’s future stands Danita Johnson, the pragmatic and strategically insightful president of business operations. With a rich background in sports, Johnson is reshaping the soccer club and championing diversity and inclusion in the world of major league soccer. Johnson holds the distinction of being the fourth woman and the first Black person in major league soccer history to lead a team’s business operations, making her one of the highest-ranking female executives in MLS history. “I take a lot of pride in that,” Johnson told the AFRO. “In the beginning of this journey, I wasn’t like, ‘This is what I’m seeking out.’ I think it ended up in the capacity in which it did where the opportunities put me in very unique positions. Sign up for our Daily eBlast to get coverage on Black communities from the media company who has been doing it right for over 130 years. “To be the first in this role is...