Nancy Johnston oversees the operations of the Minnesota Sex Offender Program, state’s treatment program for civilly committed sex offenders. She is responsible for providing sex-offender-specific treatment, health services, education, therapeutic recreation, vocational opportunities, and spiritual services to civilly committed clients.
Johnston oversees secure facilities on campuses in Moose Lake and St. Peter, as well as a less restrictive treatment setting in St. Peter known as Community Preparation Services. She is also responsible for the monitoring and supervision of MSOP clients that the court has provisionally discharged to live in communities statewide.
She leads a team of about 900 full- and part-time employees.
Johnston's career spans more than 45 years in the human services field. She has held both clinical and administrative positions within inpatient and outpatient settings in Minnesota and Wisconsin, serving multiple client populations in addiction recovery, mental health, and corrections. In 2003, she joined MSOP, where she has held several positions. She has been in her current position since 2012. She is a former deputy commissioner for the Minnesota Department of Human Services.
She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work.
