Daniel Johnson, MD, an Omaha native and a graduate of Creighton Prep, has spent over two decades working to make Omaha a better place through community service, so it’s no surprise that he is the recipient of the Creighton Prep Alumnus of the Year Award for 2022.
The Alumnus of the Year award is given to an individual who embodies the values Prep aspires to instill in its graduates through a commitment to living a life devoted to serving others.
As a result, Dr. Johnson began volunteering for community projects as a Creighton Prep student. The work provided a strong foundation for a commitment to service that he carries throughout his career — and provided an unexpected and life-altering personal benefit, as well.
“I became very involved in a food charity organization called Operation Others,” Dr. Johnson said. “I actually met my wonderful wife, Rachel, at an Operation Others meeting. I am eternally grateful for that organization!”
His Prep experience pushed him to start a Habitat for Humanity Chapter at Boston College. After college, he benefited from a year of service in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps at the Kansas City Free Health Clinic.
Dr. Johnson continues to make an impact on the community in his roles as the chief of the division of critical care in the UNMC Department of Anesthesiology, director of the cardiovascular ICU and associate director of the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit.
Ebola patient care, co-directing Nebraska Medicine’s critical care response to COVID-19 and advising Creighton Prep’s safe return to in-person classes are just some of the notable ways Dr. Johnson has impacted the community, earning him the award.
Dr. Johnson received the award at the Loyola Dinner of Honor and Distinction, a celebration of individuals who exemplify the qualities of St. Ignatius of Loyola and live as men and women for and with others.