After more than 10 years in executive leadership roles, Alicia Johnson will step down as Executive Director of Legal Aid of Western Missouri on March 31, 2026.
Johnson began her journey with Legal Aid 15 years ago as a staff attorney, later serving as managing attorney, deputy director, and, for the past four years, executive director. During her tenure, the organization achieved major milestones, including purchasing its first permanent building for neighborhood advocacy, beginning the Justice in the Schools project, launching Right-to-Counsel housing representation, embedding social workers within Legal Aid, and opening a new office in Independence.
“Legal Aid has some of the most creative, compassionate, and hardworking advocates you’ll ever meet. It has been amazing to work alongside them. It is a rare thing to be around so many people who genuinely care about the most vulnerable in our communities and who work incredibly hard to make their voices heard,” Johnson said.
Johnson plans to spend more time with family, engage in community activism, and start a small farm with her husband, Chris.
Reflecting on Johnson’s decade of service, Board President Jolie Justus shared her appreciation: “On behalf of the Board of Directors, I want to express our deepest gratitude to Alicia for her exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment to the mission of Legal Aid. Her dedication has strengthened our organization and expanded access to justice for countless individuals. While we will miss her greatly, we are excited for the future and confident that the foundation Alicia helped build will continue to support and inspire our work for years to come.”
Legal Aid’s Board of Directors has begun the search for the next executive director to continue advancing its mission of providing free civil legal services to low-income and vulnerable individuals across 40 counties in western Missouri.
