Anne Johnston

Anne Johnston is the Interim Director of the National Criminal Justice Command College (NCJCC) at the University of Virginia’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies. With decades of experience in public safety, she brings deep expertise in law enforcement leadership, training and curriculum development.

Before joining UVA, Anne served in executive leadership positions across several distinguished California law enforcement organizations. As Chief of Police for a District Police Department, she was as a member of the Executive Cabinet and acted as the primary liaison to allied agencies, emergency service providers and the community. Her tenure was marked by a strong focus on building public trust and promoting transparency in policing.

In addition, Anne served with the California Highway Patrol (CHP) in various capacities and ranks. Her work encompassed diverse assignments including patrol, commercial vehicle enforcement, internal affairs and undercover operations. She held the prestigious role of statewide training coordinator where she was responsible for providing instruction at both academy and supervisory levels, while also managing curriculum development and course assessments and training compliance for more than 65,000 officers statewide.

Anne held senior leadership roles at California’s Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST), to include Bureau Chief and Training Program Manager. She led the Instructor Development Institute with oversight of POST-certified training and compliance efforts across the state and supported executive-level leadership programs.

Anne holds a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice and has completed extensive advanced training. She served as Session Coordinator for the NCJCC in early 2025 and was appointed Interim Director in May 2025, continuing her commitment to advancing law enforcement education and leadership.