Dalton Johnson is the senior human resources generalist for the City of Missoula, a first-class city in Montana. His work for the City of Missoula focuses on partnering with leaders to drive innovative human-centered government design and organizational growth in alignment with community values.
Dalton’s roots and connection to labor formed early on in life. He spent summers as a kid helping his parents run their tree and property care business, and as the years progressed, he gained additional blue-collar experiences that instilled in him a strong work ethic and an understanding of the power of labor. These early lessons have influenced his approach to HR, where he believes in the power of diversity to enrich communities and workplaces.
With an ambition to develop into a managerial role, Dalton enrolled in college as a nontraditional first-generation student in his mid-20s. While attending Helena College in Montana, he became heavily involved in the campus community and student body. He established a book donation center on campus that provided free textbooks for other low-income and first-generation students. He was later elected HC student body vice president. Dalton then served as the vice president of external affairs of the Montana Associated Students. This role allowed him to connect with student leaders from all 16 campuses within the Montana University System and negotiate for student rights with elected officials. Upon completing the office, Dalton was appointed by Montana Gov. Steve Bullock as student regent on the Board of Regents. In this position, he was the sole representative of more than 40,000 students across the Montana University System. Bullock then appointed Dalton as commissioner of the Montana State Library.
Dalton is overflowing with gratitude and excitement to be selected for the SHRM Foundation’s HR Tomorrow Leadership Program. He envisions this program as a platform to grow long-lasting professional relationships and an opportunity to continue advancing his career in human resources. Most importantly, he sees it as a way to form engaged citizens who are invested in the success of their communities and workplaces.
Dalton holds a Masters of Public Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Communication and Nonprofit Administration from the University of Montana, as well as an Associate of Applied Science degree from Helena College.
