For Immediate Release: July 18, 2025
Contact: Rick Fabrizio, Director of Communications & Legislative Affairs, (603) 410-3594; public_relations@nhrs.org
CONCORD, N.H. — The New Hampshire Retirement System (NHRS, the retirement system) has hired Danita Johnson to serve as Head of Private Markets on its investment team, effective July 14, 2025. NHRS conducted a national search to identify investment professionals with the requisite experience and vision to lead NHRS’ Private Markets staff.
Johnson will report to Chief Investment Officer Raynald Leveque. The role is a new position that is part of an initiative announced in the fall of 2024 to bring in house a larger share of the investment decision-making activities.
“Danita is a key part of our long-term strategic plan to bolster our investment team and expand our bench of investment talent,” Leveque said.
Johnson joins from the Maryland State Retirement and Pension System where she was a Managing Director – Investments, responsible for the $11 billion real assets portfolio, including real estate, infrastructure, energy, and natural resources asset classes. She previously held investment leadership roles in real assets with the State of Connecticut Retirement Plans, Franklin Templeton Investments and the New York City Retirement System. She started her career on Wall Street as a securities analyst with Credit Suisse and Prudential Financial. She earned her undergraduate degree in Economics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to join the New Hampshire Retirement System, an organization known for its thoughtful approach to long-term investing and commitment to its members,” Johnson said. “I look forward to working with the investment team, the Independent Investment Committee and the Board of Trustees to strengthen the private markets portfolio through disciplined and innovative strategies that support the system’s long-term objectives.”
NHRS pursues an investment strategy designed to achieve its long-term funding requirements. The goal is to meet or exceed the retirement system’s 6.75% assumed rate of return over the long term while managing the risk, return, and liquidity of the portfolio.
“I am very pleased that Ms. Johnson will bring her private market acumen and deep expertise to the management of NHRS’ investments,” said Jan Goodwin, NHRS Executive Director. “Private market investments are an important part of our portfolio and help us with investment diversification during these challenging times in the market to ensure that we can pay all of the retirement benefits earned by our members.”
Johnson was honored in 2025 as member of the Wall Street Hall of Fame sponsored by National Associate of Securities Professionals, New York Chapter. She is an Executive Board member and Secretary of the Pension Real Estate Association, a member of the Institutional Limited Partners Association, a Limited Partner Advisory Council member of Sponsors for Educational Opportunity, and an Investor Board Member of the Alternative Investments Forum Global. Johnson is a former board member and treasurer of the New York Covenant Community Development Corporation.
About NHRS
NHRS provides retirement, disability, and death benefits to its eligible members and their beneficiaries. The State of New Hampshire and nearly 470 local government employers participate in NHRS for their employees, teachers, firefighters, and police officers. NHRS has approximately 48,900 active members and 45,000 benefit recipients. NHRS administers a defined benefit plan qualified as a tax-exempt entity under sections 401(a) and 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.
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