Done! Here’s the publication-cut transcript starting at the former 08:26, with timestamps reset to 0:00.

Lori Boll (she/her): 00:00
Well, hello, Ginger, and welcome to the podcast.

Ginger Johnson: 00:00
Hello, Lori. It’s good to be here. Thanks for the invite.

Lori Boll (she/her): 00:03
You’ve got “Ginger Johnson, Vitamin G” by your name—that’s a great place to start. What does that mean? Who are you? Why are you here?

Ginger Johnson: 00:25
That nickname was given to me by someone I worked with—she nailed it. “Vitamin G” is a way to think about energy and vitality.

Lori Boll (she/her): 00:38
Being.

Ginger Johnson: 00:39
And because SENIAs about inclusion and belonging—belonging with yourself first—Vitamin G fits. I’ve had a few nicknames over the years, but this one matches what I share with the world. I hear a lot of “we love your energy; it’s restorative,” and Vitamin G seems to fit perfectly.

Lori Boll (she/her): 01:05
So what do you do?

Ginger Johnson: 01:06
Great question—the all-American question. For me, it starts with who we are. If our work mirrors our purpose, then what we do fits. My North Star is “connecting the world.” It’s not just a website line; it’s how I move forward—who I want to be and therefore the work I want to do.

Ginger Johnson: 01:50
Practically, that means keynoting; working with organizations in the IDD world, international schools, school districts, and associations that want their teams to feel great and to truly belong—not just be included. Inclusion and belonging are related but different, and it’s worth exploring that. I also do workshops, professional development, longer-term series—online and on-premise, live and recorded. We’re fortunate to have many ways to reach people, just like SENIA has grown from six people to worldwide. The core is connecting the world, in many modalities. For example, 3M invited me to join their book club conversation about my Connectivity Canon. Lots of ways to help; the core remains connection.

Lori Boll (she/her): 02:42
“Connecting the world.” And you’re also called the Chief Connecting Officer, right?

Ginger Johnson: 03:17
Yes, ma’am.

Lori Boll (she/her): 03:24
I love it. How do you help leaders align purpose, values, and a joyful culture?

Ginger Johnson: 03:38
Alignment is vital. Purpose is the bedrock; passion comes later. My purpose is the power of human connection—saying hello, voting, waving, holding a door, sharing, listening. Leadership isn’t title-exclusive; everyone can lead from where they are. The questions are: what do you want to lead, and how do you want to be?

Ginger Johnson: 04:24
When I work with leaders and teams—often under leadership or communication—we build skills and practices to fulfill the mission and bring the vision to life. Human connection is fundamental for all of us and deeply meaningful to me. Helping leaders realize they have a whole room full of “light bulbs” they can turn on—that’s the work. Leadership isn’t complicated; it’s complex—lots of pieces, but we can put the puzzle together. A definition I like: leadership is the combination of who we are, our experiences, and our practices—an amalgamation. Like SENIA’s audience, it’s infinitely varied, so we move forward on values that help us be our best human selves.

Lori Boll (she/her): 05:42
I love that you mentioned purpose. Schools often say they want to be inclusive and create belonging, but they might have passion without purpose—or purpose without passion. How do we motivate building the purpose?

Ginger Johnson: 06:15
Start with a bedrock purpose: What’s your vision? What’s your mission to execute it? What values are actually in action? One district I work with in Nebraska has “belonging” in their strategic plan. A plan is just words unless you implement. To realize belonging, purpose must be fundamental. Inclusion can become a checkbox; belonging is the result—the ultimate outcome of human connection. In a healthy culture, people are seen, valued, and heard; there’s justice and access. That’s not complicated—it’s being a good human. Greet people at the door; say hello; truly see and hear them. Aim first at belonging; inclusion will follow—along with diversity, access, and justice.

Lori Boll (she/her): 06:58
How do you see common ground as a bridge for communities and schools striving for inclusive environments?

Ginger Johnson: 07:51
I often say—loudly but without shouting—we have more in common than we’ll ever have different. That’s the bedrock of common ground: look for similarities. They’re not only visual. Put your hand on your heart—that’s common ground. I’ll joke with audiences: “Show me your teeth”—we all have teeth, and that’s common ground too. Start there. And trade “like-minded” for “like-valued.” Like-minded can be monolithic and limiting; like-valued keeps us human. Everyone wants safety and access; we diverge in how we realize values. That’s where discussion is necessary. Elections can make us feel separate, but we’re far more alike than different. We can either bridge or burn; I choose to bridge.

Lori Boll (she/her): 08:34
We can bring that down to the classroom. I taught in a Life Centered Education program with students who had high support needs and were included in general education classrooms. Did they feel belonging? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. We started each year by introducing them through similarities: photos of George skiing—“Who likes to ski?” George swimming, at the movies with friends—“Who likes that?” Bringing similarities together.

Ginger Johnson: 09:19
Yes—and give people a jumping-off point for conversation. Conversation reveals connection. As a former middle-school art teacher in a rural district, I can picture what you described. Help kids attend with more than eyes—with ears, other senses, and abilities. I had students say, “I can’t draw.” I’d say, “Pick up a pencil—we can both make a line.” The sense of belonging can be simple. Be willing to make the first move, like your photo activity. Then—boom—you’re off.

Lori Boll (she/her): 09:30
Right. Leaders often say, “Cover this, focus on that,” and then add, “Oh, and build rapport.” The connection piece comes after content. Others prioritize connection first.

Ginger Johnson: 10:19
Prioritizing connection is wise. Once we feel connected, everything else dominos. If we don’t invest in what I call the ROC—the Return On Connection—everything becomes mechanical. We don’t remember Chapter 6 of a civics book; we remember how we felt with people. “Connection before content,” as my friend and connection expert Chad Littlefield says. One of my mantras: everything is possible with connection.

Lori Boll (she/her): 11:08
Agreed—100%. Do you have a formula for creating connection—say for Senya or our chapters—without diluting mission-critical inclusivity?

Ginger Johnson: 12:02
Think Savile Row in London—bespoke suits. There’s no one-size-fits-all formula for connection, but there are frameworks—like house plans you finish your way. With client partners, I ask: mission, vision, aims, and culture health. In Connectivity Canon, I outline a framework because people would say, “You can walk into any room and talk to anyone—how?” What they really meant was, “Teach me.” One simple tool is the Connector’s Mindset: POW—Positive, Objective, Willing. Positive: look for the good and the possible. Objective: suspend judgment. Willing: be open in body, mindset, attitude, and ways of thinking. Live in POW and everything unfolds. Make growth enjoyable; useful beats glib. I even think of connection like A + B = C: who I am + my endeavors = my life.

Lori Boll (she/her): 12:19
Let’s talk international. Senya started in Beijing and expanded globally, always emphasizing culturally responsive education. How do you view cultural context in shaping connection and belonging?

Ginger Johnson: 13:21
Cultural health depends on context—ecosystem, vision—many factors. To build strong culture anywhere, we need awareness and questions: What is this ecosystem now? What do we want it to be? How do I skill up? Who can I ask? I intentionally cultivate friendships with people whose worldviews are very different from mine—raised differently, thinking and feeling differently. Many of us aren’t skilled at learning across difference. Start by setting intention. One powerful tool: set your intention for every meeting. “My intention for our time today is __. Do you have any other intentions?” It shows respect, clarifies aims, and fosters better communication and leadership. In my art classes, for two of the years I didn’t grade—I set the intention: “This is about process,” and students flourished. Belonging, inclusion, and connection have elasticity; they’re not rigid bumpers.

Lori Boll (she/her): 13:34
Great. Thank you.

Ginger Johnson: 13:34
That was a dissertation kind of question.

Lori Boll (she/her): 13:38
It really was. Let’s say you enter a school or organization where staff and leadership aren’t connecting—just not vibing. Where do you start?

Ginger Johnson: 14:25
Before I’m brought in, I’m asking questions and doing research. I need to know who the “top banana” is and whether the ethos comes from the top. Culture does best from the top: they set the pace. If that leader lives the values and the executive team is on board, we can go somewhere. If not, I won’t necessarily work with them. I’m not a fixer or magician; culture grows from the inside, like a petri dish. Sometimes teams reach a “maximum density,” and we free people up for their future. It’s not that they’re bad—it’s not a fit for the vision. I’ve been “released” from roles too; not everyone is ready for my energy and questions. The key is willingness: lots of groups say they’re open-minded—are they living it? I work with those truly receptive and ready to do the work.

Lori Boll (she/her): 15:02
Two more questions.

Ginger Johnson: 15:47
Let ’em rip.

Lori Boll (she/her): 16:36
Looking ahead: what possibilities excite you about a world powered by connection, where inclusive education and schools of belonging are the norm?

Ginger Johnson: 16:59
I’m optimistic. I see school districts and service units being brave—holding the space and vision, making it work regardless of climate—because what’s best for students is best for the system. There’s inertia to overcome, but I’m rolling up my sleeves. I appreciate trends like having students check and disable phones to build presence. I’m not a fan of AI when it undermines connection. The future is human-to-human. Humans promote inclusion, live belonging, and help people know: you’re in the right place; we want you here. Let’s do this together.

Lori Boll (she/her): 17:23
Final question: this is the SENIA Happy Hour Podcast. Not quite happy hour—no drinking—but if you created a cocktail or mocktail that describes you or your work, what’s in it?

Ginger Johnson: 17:39
Love it. I’m a root, so: fresh mint—healing, refreshing, invigorating (I’ve got a bunch in the garden). Definitely ginger root—good for inflammation and digestion.

Lori Boll (she/her): 17:40
Little posh.

Ginger Johnson: 17:43
Yes. Smash it. Yes.

Lori Boll (she/her): 17:44
Got it.

Ginger Johnson: 18:29
Ice cubes—chilled. Shake it up with something bubbly. Simple, refreshing, shareable—good for everything.

Lori Boll (she/her): 19:17
Nice. You’re lucky—not everyone has an ingredient in their name.

Ginger Johnson: 20:07
Right—gingerbread jokes aside, ginger root wins.

Lori Boll (she/her): 20:41
Ginger, thanks for your time today—I really appreciate it.

Ginger Johnson: 21:03
Absolutely.

Lori Boll (she/her): 22:06
Let’s go! I hope it encourages people to seek connection and find similarities with colleagues and students—whoever’s in front of them.

Ginger Johnson: 22:54
Yes—look for the similarities. You’ll find them everywhere. Help people be seen, valued, and heard—just like you did for me today, Lori. It’s been a pleasure. Thank you so much.