Speaker
AJ Johnson
Actress, TV Producer, Life Coach, Philanthropist
AJ believes as an honors graduate of Spelman College, a woman who changes the world is a woman who has global options and is an example of it!! As a new citizen of The Republic of Ghana, AJ Akua’s mission just got bigger. AJ is often in
West Africa, creating unity programs under her organization, THE BRIDGE TO BETTER in collaboration with the US EMBASSY and President’s office of Diaspora Affairs, office of the President, Ghana- focused on the areas of education, better health, entertainment tourism and economic development, When AJ is not in Africa, AJ is in the US serving as executive producer
and host for season 4 of MTV’s s latest hit “COUPLES RETREAT”, where AJ life coaches America’s most dysfunctional reality show couples as they retreat, and now, starring alongside Ving Rhames on their new hit drama LEGACY? Yes, AJ is doing it all and for those who say the “all” is not possible, let’s take a closer look at AJ’s definition.
AJ Akua Okyerebea Johnson, at age 17 lost her mother to cancer. Several years later AJ’s dad told her from his death bed, “you’re not able to save me, but take all of who you are and what you know and go save the world.” He may not have known that his words would lead her to redefine her life’s purpose and dedicate a good part of her life to doing just that. You’ve seen her share the screen with Will Smith, Jamie Foxx, Julia Roberts, Alfre Woodard, Sylvester Stallone and Whoopi Goldberg. You’ve learned her dance battle moves with Tisha Campbell Martin in “House Party” and watched her grow up with Tyrese and
Taraji P. Henson in “Baby Boy.” Now, armed with a Psychology and Chemistry degree from world renowned Spelman College and multiple certifications, A.J. is one of the most world renowned lifestyle coaches and wellness advocates around. As told to ESSENCE Magazine and Women’s Health Magazine, her zest for health and wellness and her passion for philanthropy
led AJ to create THE AJ ZONE, Inc.
AJ explained to VOGUE Magazine, “THE AJ ZONE is the zone you live in when you want to reach your better! We do not do personal training...we customize the design for one’s better, which is an equation as unique as the individual wanting the transformation!” AJ has passionately shared with Essence Magazine, “how do you train Stevie Wonder to do anything?
Hahahaha - how do you train San Francisco 49er quarterback, Colin Kaepernick to throw harder? These individuals are at the top of their game looking for more than just better performance, or better bodies - they’re looking for better, healthier lives - by watching my life, they believe I can help them! Now they are Zoners!!”
“Adrienne-Joi, is not always joy she’s tough love.” - Stevie Wonder
“AJ is a psycho woman for healthy and I love it!”- Jussie Smolett
“With AJ, a workout is the least of it!” - Academy Award winning actress, Anne Hathaway
“ If I want to be my best I call AJ! The end.”- Golden Globe nominee, Emily Blunt
“ I suffer from asthma/lung sarcoidosis and AJ has been my healthy living guardian angel for 25
years.”- Tisha Campbell
Others that are no stranger to AJ’s “NO EXCUSES” straight talk approach include Grammy Award winner, Toni Braxton, Viola Davis, Amber Riley, John Krasinski, Ed Helms, Chaka Khan, Beyonce, Nicole Ari Parker, Boris Kudjoe, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, and more.
AJ’s “NO EXCUSES” - straight talk approach to better continues to grow a celebrity clientele making it easy to understand why studio executive, wellness advocate Oprah Winfrey would sign her to OWN Network. AJ partnered with Oprah to help Lindsay Lohan out of rehab on OWN Network’s 8 part docuseries, “LINDSAY”, appeared on Deione Sanders and Tracey Edmonds, “Deione’s Family Playbook” and moved in with the Gray family on OWN’s “Book of John Gray.” AJ’s belief that consistency is key is evident in the worldwide wellness movement growing consistently over the years with AJ dropping wellness gems on Aspire’s
“Exhale,” CBS’s “THE Insider,” WE TV’s “LA Hair,” TV ONE’s “Life After Baby Boy” and BET’s “COME CLEAN” .
While many of us were watching AJ change lives on TV, so were corporations and pharmaceutical companies. When Glaxo Smith Kline(GSK) launched their first FDA approved over the counter weight loss system ALLI, they called AJ, to be the only non-physician to lead their Multicultural Council Advisory Board for GSK Pharmaceuticals. AJ served as keynote speaker for Novartis Pharmaceutical’s Global Diversity & Inclusion Leadership Forum in Zurich, Switzerland, and created motivational summits for ADP Corporation, Sodexo, USA, Women’s Diversity Leadership Conference, Odysey Network Conference and created
wellness/Life Work Balance Integration ( LWBI) programs for Credit Suisse Banking, London/New York.
With celebrities, television, corporations and pharma trusting AJ, national radio was too: Tom Joyner Morning Show, Sway in the Morning, Ebro in the Morning and soon came a loyal and growing following on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and online. AJ has created a successful online healthy living movement at www.theajzone.com, and has designed wellness platforms for other sites including Oprah.com, Dailybeast.com and Globalgrind.com and has produced a new online series “Livin in THE AJ ZONE” for YouTube’s AlrightTV. AJ can also be found hosting pop up workshops around the country, seminars and classes for corporations and magazines or even leading a group of celebrity clients in sunrise yoga during a celebrity island
retreat. In addition to producing retreats, traveling to obese cities and colleges across America, AJ is currently consulting for Spelman College’s Wellness Revolution as they transition their athletic department to wellness. AJ continues to address health and lifestyle issues for a diverse list of audiences including:
· Essence Festival
· Ghana West Africa Panafest
· Tom Joyner’s Family Reunion
· CIAA Conference
· Diversity Woman Leadership Conference
· Proctor & Gamble’s MY BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL tour
· Walmart healthy Living launch at Essence Music Festival
· American Cancer Society
· Curves International events
· Black Enterprise Magazine Entrepreneur Conference
· Bank of America National Summit
· The Black Lawyers Association
· The Black MBA Association
Resorts:
· Atlantis, Nassau- Bahamas
· The Mauna Lani Resort Kona Hawaii
· The Delano Hotel, Miami.
If you have not watched AJ Akua’s year of return, you are the only one. After her first visit to Ghana in December 2018 garnished 40 million online impressions, that was merely a launch pad for the rest of 2019. AJ participated in South Africa’s royal summit in February, and at the request of Ghana’s GTA, AJ served as host to Ghana’s Panafest 2019 in July, as well as provided Ghana’s first movie premiere of an American film, screening her starring role in the film “Sins of The Father”. AJ lead the Emancipation Day walk with Minister of tourism, Barbara Gyasi and was speaker at Emancipation Day 2019 at Cape Coast Castle.
As August arrived in Ghana, so did AJ, bringing American television cameras to Ghana, for Jamestown to Jamestown celebration, producing 3 episodes of TV ONE’s travel show, “Lens of Culture”, introducing 80 million American households to Ghana. AJ’s most recent time in Ghana was filled with the launch of THE AJ AKUA EXPERIENCE. In collaboration with the Office of Diaspora Affairs of Ghana President Addo, and DAF, this 10 day journey to the mind, body & soul life shift AJ experienced 4 years ago is now offered as a new year -new you retreat-filled with spirit building, history learning, philanthropic service days
and more.
Actress, TV Producer, Life Coach, Philanthropist
AJ believes as an honors graduate of Spelman College, a woman who changes the world is a woman who has global options and is an example of it!! As a new citizen of The Republic of Ghana, AJ Akua’s mission just got bigger. AJ is often in
West Africa, creating unity programs under her organization, THE BRIDGE TO BETTER in collaboration with the US EMBASSY and President’s office of Diaspora Affairs, office of the President, Ghana- focused on the areas of education, better health, entertainment tourism and economic development, When AJ is not in Africa, AJ is in the US serving as executive producer
and host for season 4 of MTV’s s latest hit “COUPLES RETREAT”, where AJ life coaches America’s most dysfunctional reality show couples as they retreat, and now, starring alongside Ving Rhames on their new hit drama LEGACY? Yes, AJ is doing it all and for those who say the “all” is not possible, let’s take a closer look at AJ’s definition.
AJ Akua Okyerebea Johnson, at age 17 lost her mother to cancer. Several years later AJ’s dad told her from his death bed, “you’re not able to save me, but take all of who you are and what you know and go save the world.” He may not have known that his words would lead her to redefine her life’s purpose and dedicate a good part of her life to doing just that. You’ve seen her share the screen with Will Smith, Jamie Foxx, Julia Roberts, Alfre Woodard, Sylvester Stallone and Whoopi Goldberg. You’ve learned her dance battle moves with Tisha Campbell Martin in “House Party” and watched her grow up with Tyrese and
Taraji P. Henson in “Baby Boy.” Now, armed with a Psychology and Chemistry degree from world renowned Spelman College and multiple certifications, A.J. is one of the most world renowned lifestyle coaches and wellness advocates around. As told to ESSENCE Magazine and Women’s Health Magazine, her zest for health and wellness and her passion for philanthropy
led AJ to create THE AJ ZONE, Inc.
AJ explained to VOGUE Magazine, “THE AJ ZONE is the zone you live in when you want to reach your better! We do not do personal training...we customize the design for one’s better, which is an equation as unique as the individual wanting the transformation!” AJ has passionately shared with Essence Magazine, “how do you train Stevie Wonder to do anything?
Hahahaha - how do you train San Francisco 49er quarterback, Colin Kaepernick to throw harder? These individuals are at the top of their game looking for more than just better performance, or better bodies - they’re looking for better, healthier lives - by watching my life, they believe I can help them! Now they are Zoners!!”
“Adrienne-Joi, is not always joy she’s tough love.” - Stevie Wonder
“AJ is a psycho woman for healthy and I love it!”- Jussie Smolett
“With AJ, a workout is the least of it!” - Academy Award winning actress, Anne Hathaway
“ If I want to be my best I call AJ! The end.”- Golden Globe nominee, Emily Blunt
“ I suffer from asthma/lung sarcoidosis and AJ has been my healthy living guardian angel for 25
years.”- Tisha Campbell
Others that are no stranger to AJ’s “NO EXCUSES” straight talk approach include Grammy Award winner, Toni Braxton, Viola Davis, Amber Riley, John Krasinski, Ed Helms, Chaka Khan, Beyonce, Nicole Ari Parker, Boris Kudjoe, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, and more.
AJ’s “NO EXCUSES” - straight talk approach to better continues to grow a celebrity clientele making it easy to understand why studio executive, wellness advocate Oprah Winfrey would sign her to OWN Network. AJ partnered with Oprah to help Lindsay Lohan out of rehab on OWN Network’s 8 part docuseries, “LINDSAY”, appeared on Deione Sanders and Tracey Edmonds, “Deione’s Family Playbook” and moved in with the Gray family on OWN’s “Book of John Gray.” AJ’s belief that consistency is key is evident in the worldwide wellness movement growing consistently over the years with AJ dropping wellness gems on Aspire’s
“Exhale,” CBS’s “THE Insider,” WE TV’s “LA Hair,” TV ONE’s “Life After Baby Boy” and BET’s “COME CLEAN” .
While many of us were watching AJ change lives on TV, so were corporations and pharmaceutical companies. When Glaxo Smith Kline(GSK) launched their first FDA approved over the counter weight loss system ALLI, they called AJ, to be the only non-physician to lead their Multicultural Council Advisory Board for GSK Pharmaceuticals. AJ served as keynote speaker for Novartis Pharmaceutical’s Global Diversity & Inclusion Leadership Forum in Zurich, Switzerland, and created motivational summits for ADP Corporation, Sodexo, USA, Women’s Diversity Leadership Conference, Odysey Network Conference and created
wellness/Life Work Balance Integration ( LWBI) programs for Credit Suisse Banking, London/New York.
With celebrities, television, corporations and pharma trusting AJ, national radio was too: Tom Joyner Morning Show, Sway in the Morning, Ebro in the Morning and soon came a loyal and growing following on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and online. AJ has created a successful online healthy living movement at www.theajzone.com, and has designed wellness platforms for other sites including Oprah.com, Dailybeast.com and Globalgrind.com and has produced a new online series “Livin in THE AJ ZONE” for YouTube’s AlrightTV. AJ can also be found hosting pop up workshops around the country, seminars and classes for corporations and magazines or even leading a group of celebrity clients in sunrise yoga during a celebrity island
retreat. In addition to producing retreats, traveling to obese cities and colleges across America, AJ is currently consulting for Spelman College’s Wellness Revolution as they transition their athletic department to wellness. AJ continues to address health and lifestyle issues for a diverse list of audiences including:
· Essence Festival
· Ghana West Africa Panafest
· Tom Joyner’s Family Reunion
· CIAA Conference
· Diversity Woman Leadership Conference
· Proctor & Gamble’s MY BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL tour
· Walmart healthy Living launch at Essence Music Festival
· American Cancer Society
· Curves International events
· Black Enterprise Magazine Entrepreneur Conference
· Bank of America National Summit
· The Black Lawyers Association
· The Black MBA Association
Resorts:
· Atlantis, Nassau- Bahamas
· The Mauna Lani Resort Kona Hawaii
· The Delano Hotel, Miami.
If you have not watched AJ Akua’s year of return, you are the only one. After her first visit to Ghana in December 2018 garnished 40 million online impressions, that was merely a launch pad for the rest of 2019. AJ participated in South Africa’s royal summit in February, and at the request of Ghana’s GTA, AJ served as host to Ghana’s Panafest 2019 in July, as well as provided Ghana’s first movie premiere of an American film, screening her starring role in the film “Sins of The Father”. AJ lead the Emancipation Day walk with Minister of tourism, Barbara Gyasi and was speaker at Emancipation Day 2019 at Cape Coast Castle.
As August arrived in Ghana, so did AJ, bringing American television cameras to Ghana, for Jamestown to Jamestown celebration, producing 3 episodes of TV ONE’s travel show, “Lens of Culture”, introducing 80 million American households to Ghana. AJ’s most recent time in Ghana was filled with the launch of THE AJ AKUA EXPERIENCE. In collaboration with the Office of Diaspora Affairs of Ghana President Addo, and DAF, this 10 day journey to the mind, body & soul life shift AJ experienced 4 years ago is now offered as a new year -new you retreat-filled with spirit building, history learning, philanthropic service days
and more.