Dr Timothy R.B. Johnson

FIGO is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Dr Timothy Robert Bradley Johnson on 27 May 2025. Known to many at FIGO and throughout the field of obstetrics and gynaecology, Dr Johnson was a global advocate for women’s health and rights, whose lifelong commitment to mentorship, education and collaborative leadership left an enduring impact. 

Dr Johnson served as Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics from 2007 to 2014 and was subsequently a member of the FIGO Committee on Safe Abortion. He was a recipient of FIGO’s Distinguished Merit Award, in recognition of his lifelong dedication to advancing reproductive health globally. 

Throughout his career, Dr Johnson held many academic and clinical roles, most notably as Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Bates Professor of Diseases of Women and Children at the University of Michigan from 1993 to 2017. He later became the Arthur F. Thurnau Distinguished Teaching Professor, holding professorial appointments in Women’s and Gender Studies and at the Centre for Human Growth and Development. From 1981 to 1985, Dr Johnson served as a Major in the Medical Corps of the United States Air Force. Foreshadowing future collaborations, he was named Honorary Nurse Midwife by the USAF Nurse Midwifery Programme in 1985. He was a visionary collaborator with networking prowess, who created opportunities for people and loved to educate and mentor learners at all levels.

Dr Johnson received the Distinguished Service Award from ACOG, and several lifetime achievement awards, including the Allan Rosenfield award from the Society for Family Planning, the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics and the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine. In 2016 he received the University of Michigan’s Rudi Ansbacher Leadership Award for Support of Women in Healthcare, and in 2022 The University of Michigan President’s Award for Distinguished Service in International Education. 

His influence reached far beyond the United States, particularly through longstanding collaborations in Ghana that strengthened capacity in maternal and reproductive health care. A visionary academic and mentor, Dr Johnson’s leadership in creating an ethical framework of sustained academic partnership with colleagues in Ghana has continued for almost 40 years, resulting in fellowships in family planning and maternal foetal medicine. Many of his mentees continue his global health legacy. 

FIGO’s President, Board of Trustees, staff and wider community offer our deepest condolences to Dr Johnson’s family, friends, colleagues and mentees. His absence will be deeply felt – but his legacy will continue to inspire.