South Graduate Makes History in Leading the FBI St. Louis Field Office

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Posted on January 14, 2025

Marketing and Communications

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After nearly 18 years with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Ashley Johnson became special agent in charge of the field office in St. Louis, but she still recalls the beginning of her career path at the University of South Alabama.

“South is one of the reasons I’m in the FBI,” Johnson said. “When I was in graduate school, Sam Cochran, the former police chief of Mobile, was teaching a criminal justice class, and he told us the FBI was having a recruiting event and encouraged us to attend. That’s actually how I learned about the FBI. I recall sitting in his class that was in the Humanities Building and thinking this was a great opportunity. I’ll never forget.”

A week later, she attended the career fair that was held at the FBI office in downtown Mobile.

At South, Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in sociology with a concentration in criminology. She began working in Mobile as a case officer for the Mobile County Drug Court. She later earned a second master’s degree, this time in social work.

In 2007, she joined the FBI and was first assigned to the New Orleans FBI office. She later held positions in Atlanta and Washington, D.C. Her assignments included civil rights, domestic terrorism, cyber security and international operations. Last fall, she became the first female special agent in charge in the more than 100-year history of the St. Louis field office.

“The mission is the same,” Johnson said. “How we enforce laws, how we protect the American people, how we interact with our communities, that hasn’t changed from being a case agent to this role. Now I’m responsible for setting the strategic direction of the office, identifying through intelligence, investigations or partnerships with other agencies, what St. Louis needs to prioritize and where we need to put our resources.”

The FBI, Johnson has learned, is both a massive organization and a small world.

“Over time, you start to establish connections in each of the field offices,” she said. “I may not know every single person by name, but if I need something in Albuquerque, or at our Connecticut office, there’s usually someone I’ve worked with or have a relationship.”

Johnson grew up in Mobile. Her mother, Barbara Johnson, earned a master’s degree at South and taught school in Mobile County for more than 30 years. Her father, Clinton Johnson, also earned a master’s degree at South and was one of the city’s first Black council members. Ashley Johnson began studying education, too, but made her way to the criminal justice department. She also joined a dance team and attended her share of baseball and basketball games.

Like so many Jaguar alumni, she marvels at how much the campus has grown over the years. Her mentors at South included Dr. Nicole Flynn in sociology and Dr. Linda Royster in criminal justice.

“Dr. Royster was very influential,” she said. “She was the one who really taught me critical thinking. She really challenged us and how we thought about issues, particularly social issues and criminal justice issues.”

Now Johnson is the one encouraging young people to consider careers with the FBI. Applicants don’t have to be law enforcement officers.

“Special agent isn’t the only position in the FBI,” she said. “I would encourage people to explore opportunities and diversify their skill sets. We have people with Ph.D.s in the FBI, and people who left lucrative jobs to come here. What we have in common is a sense of purpose in how we want to serve our country.”

Johnson still returns to her hometown each year. She loves Mardi Gras and Alabama’s sandy beaches. 

In 2006, when she first applied to join the FBI, Johnson had to pass a physical fitness exam that included push-ups, sit-ups, a 300-meter sprint, and a mile-and-a-half run. She trained for that at South, too.

“Every morning, I would drop my daughter off at school and go straight to the track on campus,” she said. “I did that every day for a year. The mile-and-a-half was probably the hardest part. It was the last event, after all the others, and six times around that track, that was a lot.

“I trained with other people who had applied, and we would meet as a team to encourage one another. We weren’t officially in the FBI yet, but we came together to make sure we all passed and all made it through.”

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