Employee Profile

Dana Johnson: Always going the extra mile

Dana Johnson is no stranger to the value and missions of the Florida League of Cities (FLC). She was raised in Florida’s historic Town of Eatonville, the first Black-incorporated municipality in the United States, and recently celebrated 11 years with the League.

As Client Service Supervisor, Dana is the “middleman” between FLC members and the health insurance providers. She oversees and evaluates operations of the Group Health staff to ensure members are covered with health benefits and handles all escalated issues dealing with health benefits and the claims process. “There’s never a dull moment in health,” said Dana, who has worked in health insurance for nearly 30 years.

In addition to her daily duties, Dana goes above and beyond for her colleagues and the League. “Dana is super helpful and is always willing to provide a helping hand by traveling with our Hometown Health [HTH] team to assist with our HTH screening events for our membership,” said Hometown Health Manager Gwen Mahabir.

Dana also works with FLC members and vendors and continually goes the extra mile to assist them. Director of Trust Services Clay Austin said, “Dana has a drive to help get answers for our members and partners when they are needed, one of the key jobs we do in our organization.”

Her co-workers describe Dana as hardworking and ambitious. “She is always trying to excel in her field, and that is evident with the degrees she’s obtained while at the League,” said Medical Claims Examiner Doreen Davis. Since working with the League, Dana has received her 2-15 Florida Insurance License, Master of Health Administration degree and Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Management.

When she’s not assisting members, vendors or staff, Dana is most likely traveling or spending time with her family. She’s traveled to Paris, Aruba, Barbados, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Bahamas, Costa Rica and Italy – to name a few – and she’s planning a trip to Dubai and Spain next year. “My favorite experience during traveling is just learning the culture and how different the world is,” said Dana. “I love making memories with my granddaughter.”

In addition to her 7-year-old granddaughter, Dana has two kids and also two dogs named after her favorite sports team, the Dallas Cowboys. “I love sports,” she said. “I played basketball, volleyball and softball throughout high school, and I used to coach girls and boys basketball.”

The compassion that led Dana to coach sports is also evident to her co-workers. Just one example is when Dana sent masks directly to Doreen’s home after a casual conversation about them.

Clay, who has worked with Dana since she joined the League in 2010, echoed this sentiment. “Dana’s office has been right next to mine for years now. Every morning I see Dana, I get a smile and a ‘how are you,’ and she truly means it. It sure is a great way to start a day.”