The Atlanta Regional Commission today announced that Eric Johnson has been named the agency’s Chief Legal Officer following a national search. In this role, Johnson will join ARC’s executive leadership team. He starts on Dec. 1

Johnson comes to ARC from the global nonprofit relief and development organization CARE, where he served as General Counsel since 2013. In that role, Johnson provided legal leadership on a range of issues that included CARE’s international operations, intellectual property, government regulation and compliance, risk management, and general corporate matters.

“Eric is a mission-driven, strategic leader with extensive legal expertise and an impressive track record of success. He will be an outstanding addition to our executive leadership team,” said Anna Roach, ARC’s Executive Director & CEO.

At CARE since 2005, Eric also served as Deputy General Counsel and Associate General Counsel. Before joining CARE, Eric practiced law at World Vision, a relief and development organization based in Washington, D.C. He received his law degree from Syracuse University and a bachelor’s degree from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn.

“By joining ARC, I am blessed to go from global to local in scope,” Eric said. “CARE worked in about 80 countries around the world. At ARC, I can focus on serving local interests and needs. That’s where the rubber meets the road for me in his role. I am intensely interested in joining ARC’s efforts to address the needs and challenges of our region.”