Kevin Johnson

kjohnson2@bates.edu | he/him
Associate Dean of Admission & Director of Communications and Marketing

While co-hosting a jazz radio show at Notre Dame, Kevin met his wife (a writer and professional musician), and they soon moved to settle in Midcoast Maine. Over the years, Kevin has held a variety of positions in various industries, including specialty coffee, advertising, environmental engineering, political strategy, woodworking, web design, freelance writing, and editing. He also worked at Bowdoin College in the Office of Student Aid as the manager of student employment. Most recently, Kevin has worked in marketing and communications roles at several tech companies, including, IDEXX, Garmin, and Microsoft. 

Kevin grew up under the shadow of aircraft taking off from and approaching the runways of Los Angeles International airport. From there, he ventured to San Jose State to study journalism and later transferred to Boston College, where he wrote and performed in a sketch comedy troupe, studied at the Abbey Theater in Ireland, and completed a major in English literature. Kevin then traveled back to the West Coast and the University of Southern California, enrolling in a graduate writing program with a focus on screenwriting. This led to several roles working in the film and television industry. Despite his love of sunshine, good food, and surfing, he ventured again to graduate school — this time in the Midwest — and received an M.F.A. in creative writing (fiction) from the University of Notre Dame.

Kevin is an enthusiastic advocate for the liberal arts and sciences and being a member of a diverse, inclusive, and collaborative environment. For these reasons, and more, he is proud to help develop connections and share information with prospective students, families, and the wider community interested in the Bates College admission and student life experience.  

In his spare time, Kevin is an avid reader (some favorite authors are Ralph Ellison, Joan Didion, Anthony Doerr, Mary Karr, and David Sedaris), tasting and learning about coffee, trying to master Italian and Mexican cuisines, talking about new and old music and movies, testing new tech, worrying about the wins and losses of his favorite sports teams, and exploring Maine.