Rick I. Johnson
In 2001, bestselling author and speaker Rick Johnson founded Better Dads, a fathering skills program designed to inspire and equip men to be more engaged in the lives of their children. Through Better Dads, Rick develops and delivers inspirational training workshops and presentations across the country. He speaks at many large conferences across the US and Canada including MOPS International conventions, Promise Keepers Canada events, Design 4 Living women’s conferences, and Iron Sharpens Iron men’s conferences. Rick is a popular keynote speaker at men’s and women’s retreats and conferences on parenting and marriage. He is also a nationally recognized expert in several areas having been asked to deliver papers at venues such as the 2007 County of Los Angeles Child Abuse Prevention Conference and the 2008 State of New York Fatherhood Conference.
Rick also developed a popular seminar for single mothers and other women raising boys entitled "Courageous Moms—Raising Boys to Become Good Men," which he presents throughout the United States.
Prior to becoming a full-time author and speaker, Rick was a small business owner for sixteen years, owning and operating an environmental engineering firm. He attended George Fox University, receiving a BA in Management and Organizational Leadership, and has a Masters Degree in Education from Concordia University. Rick is a veteran of the United States Navy, has served on the board of directors for several community and business associations, and coaches high school basketball in his spare time. He has been featured in many national publications such as New Man Magazine, Crosswalk.com, Christianity.com, Men of Integrity, and Proverbs 31 Ministries Magazine. Rick is the former co-host of the weekly radio program "An Hour of Honesty and Common Sense." In partnership with Revell, he has published the books That's My Son: How Moms Can Influence Boys to Become Men of Character, Better Dads, Stronger Sons: How Fathers Can Guide Boys to Become Men of Character, The Man Whisperer: Speaking Your Man’s Language to Bring Out His Best, and The Power of a Man: Using Your Influence as a Man of Character. His newest book, Becoming Your Spouse's Better Half: Why Differences Make a Great Marriage!, is causing a stir across the country. Rick has appeared on over two hundred radio programs and television shows around the United States and Canada.
Rick and his wife Suzanne have raised two adult children and live in Gresham, Oregon.
Suzanne L. Johnson
Suzanne Johnson serves as a corporate officer and advisory board member of Better Dads. She is an intricate part of planning and implementing the organization’s seminars for women and family relations.
Suzanne was a full-time mom in her children’s growing-up years. For fourteen years, she has been teaching middle school and high school special needs students. Additionally, she is the former Director of Development and Implementation for an after-school talented and gifted (T.A.G.) program at a local elementary school.
Together with Rick, Suzanne delivers inspirational talks and presentations to churches, schools, and retreats on a variety of subjects, including "Respecting Your Husband to His Potential" and "The Do's and Don'ts of a Healthy Marriage." Surviving abuse and abandonment at a young age, Suzanne's testimony of overcoming a damaged childhood to become a successful wife, mother, and woman is an inspiration. And her exuberant and relatable style is a favorite with audiences.