LEADER. ARTIST. INNOVATOR.
Cimino-Johnson (CJ) is a distinguished leader in non-profit management, arts administration, arts advocacy, and theater education. With a career spanning over two decades, CJ has led organization to be award winning and critically acclaimed internationally.
As an educator, he has founded and led an award-winning theater program at Rock Ridge High School Performing Arts, acclaimed for its diversity, inclusivity, and profound impact on students. His dedication to making the arts accessible to all has driven him to secure $2.8 million in annual funding for theater education across Loudoun County Public Schools and to establish Virginia's first Dual Enrollment Theatre Program, allowing students to earn college credits in theater.
As an Executive Director, CJ has significantly expanded the Rock Ridge Drama Booster's Broadway Bound Summer Program, providing theater arts access to over 500 students annually and offering unique internship opportunities for future educators. His efforts in theater education have been recognized nationally, earning him invitations to speak at conferences, mentor educators, and even participate in prestigious events at the White House.
CJ has pioneered the implementation of the first relaxed performance of theater in Loudoun, ensuring an inclusive and accessible experience for patrons with special needs and small children. He led the advocacy work for the creation of a Theater Specialist position in Loudoun County Public Schools to serve as an advocate and curriculum specialist for the county. However, most notable are his contributions to the state of Virginia, by developing and implementing the state's first Dual Enrollment Theatre Program, enabling high school students to earn college credits in theater. Throughout the past 10 years, his students have been awarded over 1200 College Credits and have saved his students over $600,000 in college tuition. Additionally, Cimino-Johnson has directed his students through national premiere productions and tour productions to various states in the U.S. and internationally, including participation in the renowned Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland. With a deep commitment to fostering student interest and engagement in theater arts, he has consistently achieved annual enrollment between 15% and 20% of the school's population. Additionally, his students have been awarded over $8.1 million dollars worth of scholarship monies to attend colleges across the country.
Recognized as an expert in theater education and arts administration, Cimino-Johnson is frequently invited to present at national conferences, sharing his expertise and best practices with educators and organizations across the US. He also served as a consultant throughout the state of Virginia, providing guidance and support on curriculum development, instructional strategies, and advocacy. His dedication to theater education on the national level has earned him invitations to federal and state congressional award ceremonies, including the White House.
Cimino-Johnson also serves as the Executive Director and Founder of Broadway Bound in Ashburn, VA. In this role, over the last 9 years, he has seen exponential growth. By developing a unique curriculum, his program provides Theatre Arts Access to 500+ students annually in grades K - 9. The programouses a unique internship program for grades 9 - 12 that provides theatre education opportunities to high school students who are considering education as a future career. Finally, Cimino-Johnson has created a Unified Theatre Arts Summer program that provides affordable access to the arts for special needs students from around the DMV.
Cimino-Johnson served as the Virginia Thespian Chapter Director from 2017 - 2022. As Chapter Director, he lead the chapter to historic numbers, and oversaw the budget during the 2020 Pandemic to ensure that the organization would remain fiscally solvent. As a result of his leadership, Cimino-Johnson led the effort to hire the Educational Theatre Association's first Executive Director of a state chapter. Cimino-Johnson now serves in a consultant capacity, as he led the transition from the Chapter Festival from a university, to a Broadway Touring House and Convention Center.
Cimino-Johnson also serves as an adjunct professor of Theatre Arts at Richard Bland College of William & Mary. In addition to his professional work, he actively engage in community service initiatives. He has served on the Leesburg Parks and Recreation Committee, the Loudoun Arts Commission, the Loudoun County Public School Equity Committee, and the Loudoun Education Association VEA Representative. Cimino-Johnson is also a founder of the Blue Ridge Cappies, and currently serves as Treasurer, whether the work of theatre students are recognized in a touring house in the DMV.
His dedication to the arts has been recognized through numerous awards, including being named in Loudoun's 40 Under 40 Class of 2023 and receiving the Premiere Community for Theatre Education award from the Educational Theatre Association. Only 25 in the Nation received such award. Additionally, his students are State Champions in the Virginia High School League Theatre Program, the Virginia Thespian Festival, the Virginia Theatre Association Secondary Festival. CJ, as his students fondly refer to him as, has been finalist for Teacher of the Year in Loudoun County Public Schools. In 2022, his students received more scholarship monies from college institutions than any other students at his school Rock Ridge High School.
Cimino-Johnson holds a Virginia State Teacher's Certificate in Theatre Education. He holds an MFA in Theatre Education from Mississippi University for Women and have completed leadership development programs in educational theatre. Cimino-Johnson also holds a Masters Certificate in Arts Administration from the University of Connecticut and an Masters Certificate in School Violence and Bullying from the University of La Verne. He is currently a candidate for the National Board Certification in CTE through the technical theatre program. He has earned his MA in Drama Therapy from New York University and my BA in Theatre Arts from McDaniel College.Cimino-Johnson (CJ) is a distinguished leader in non-profit management, arts administration, arts advocacy, and theater education. With a career spanning over a decade, CJ has founded and led an award-winning theater program at Rock Ridge High School Performing Arts, acclaimed for its diversity, inclusivity, and profound impact on students. His dedication to making the arts accessible to all has driven him to secure $2.8 million in annual funding for theater education across Loudoun County Public Schools and to establish Virginia's first Dual Enrollment Theatre Program, allowing students to earn college credits in theater.
As an educator, he has founded and led an award-winning theater program at Rock Ridge High School Performing Arts, acclaimed for its diversity, inclusivity, and profound impact on students. His dedication to making the arts accessible to all has driven him to secure $2.8 million in annual funding for theater education across Loudoun County Public Schools and to establish Virginia's first Dual Enrollment Theatre Program, allowing students to earn college credits in theater.
As an Executive Director, CJ has significantly expanded the Rock Ridge Drama Booster's Broadway Bound Summer Program, providing theater arts access to over 500 students annually and offering unique internship opportunities for future educators. His efforts in theater education have been recognized nationally, earning him invitations to speak at conferences, mentor educators, and even participate in prestigious events at the White House.
CJ has pioneered the implementation of the first relaxed performance of theater in Loudoun, ensuring an inclusive and accessible experience for patrons with special needs and small children. He led the advocacy work for the creation of a Theater Specialist position in Loudoun County Public Schools to serve as an advocate and curriculum specialist for the county. However, most notable are his contributions to the state of Virginia, by developing and implementing the state's first Dual Enrollment Theatre Program, enabling high school students to earn college credits in theater. Throughout the past 10 years, his students have been awarded over 1200 College Credits and have saved his students over $600,000 in college tuition. Additionally, Cimino-Johnson has directed his students through national premiere productions and tour productions to various states in the U.S. and internationally, including participation in the renowned Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland. With a deep commitment to fostering student interest and engagement in theater arts, he has consistently achieved annual enrollment between 15% and 20% of the school's population. Additionally, his students have been awarded over $8.1 million dollars worth of scholarship monies to attend colleges across the country.
Recognized as an expert in theater education and arts administration, Cimino-Johnson is frequently invited to present at national conferences, sharing his expertise and best practices with educators and organizations across the US. He also served as a consultant throughout the state of Virginia, providing guidance and support on curriculum development, instructional strategies, and advocacy. His dedication to theater education on the national level has earned him invitations to federal and state congressional award ceremonies, including the White House.
Cimino-Johnson also serves as the Executive Director and Founder of Broadway Bound in Ashburn, VA. In this role, over the last 9 years, he has seen exponential growth. By developing a unique curriculum, his program provides Theatre Arts Access to 500+ students annually in grades K - 9. The programouses a unique internship program for grades 9 - 12 that provides theatre education opportunities to high school students who are considering education as a future career. Finally, Cimino-Johnson has created a Unified Theatre Arts Summer program that provides affordable access to the arts for special needs students from around the DMV.
Cimino-Johnson served as the Virginia Thespian Chapter Director from 2017 - 2022. As Chapter Director, he lead the chapter to historic numbers, and oversaw the budget during the 2020 Pandemic to ensure that the organization would remain fiscally solvent. As a result of his leadership, Cimino-Johnson led the effort to hire the Educational Theatre Association's first Executive Director of a state chapter. Cimino-Johnson now serves in a consultant capacity, as he led the transition from the Chapter Festival from a university, to a Broadway Touring House and Convention Center.
Cimino-Johnson also serves as an adjunct professor of Theatre Arts at Richard Bland College of William & Mary. In addition to his professional work, he actively engage in community service initiatives. He has served on the Leesburg Parks and Recreation Committee, the Loudoun Arts Commission, the Loudoun County Public School Equity Committee, and the Loudoun Education Association VEA Representative. Cimino-Johnson is also a founder of the Blue Ridge Cappies, and currently serves as Treasurer, whether the work of theatre students are recognized in a touring house in the DMV.
His dedication to the arts has been recognized through numerous awards, including being named in Loudoun's 40 Under 40 Class of 2023 and receiving the Premiere Community for Theatre Education award from the Educational Theatre Association. Only 25 in the Nation received such award. Additionally, his students are State Champions in the Virginia High School League Theatre Program, the Virginia Thespian Festival, the Virginia Theatre Association Secondary Festival. CJ, as his students fondly refer to him as, has been finalist for Teacher of the Year in Loudoun County Public Schools. In 2022, his students received more scholarship monies from college institutions than any other students at his school Rock Ridge High School.
Cimino-Johnson holds a Virginia State Teacher's Certificate in Theatre Education. He holds an MFA in Theatre Education from Mississippi University for Women and have completed leadership development programs in educational theatre. Cimino-Johnson also holds a Masters Certificate in Arts Administration from the University of Connecticut and an Masters Certificate in School Violence and Bullying from the University of La Verne. He is currently a candidate for the National Board Certification in CTE through the technical theatre program. He has earned his MA in Drama Therapy from New York University and my BA in Theatre Arts from McDaniel College.Cimino-Johnson (CJ) is a distinguished leader in non-profit management, arts administration, arts advocacy, and theater education. With a career spanning over a decade, CJ has founded and led an award-winning theater program at Rock Ridge High School Performing Arts, acclaimed for its diversity, inclusivity, and profound impact on students. His dedication to making the arts accessible to all has driven him to secure $2.8 million in annual funding for theater education across Loudoun County Public Schools and to establish Virginia's first Dual Enrollment Theatre Program, allowing students to earn college credits in theater.
BUILDING FUTURESCJ is committed to producing and directing entirely student driven productions, where his students design and execute. By providing the tools and knowledge of design, he unlocks a creative passion within the student. When CJ works with his students, he educates them on how to design and execute their work for the stage. This empowers them to tackle real life challenges and helps lay a foundation for their future regardless of their chosen career path.
EMPOWER AND EMBOLDEN |
IMPACTING LIVES,
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THE MAKING OF NEWSIESIn this award winning video, Cimino-Johnson approached Loudoun County Public Schools to document the making of a musical to help educate the community, and the administrators of LCPS what it takes to produce musical theatre. From start to finish, this video captures the true essence of live theatre in Loudoun County Public Schools.
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