Inside Brenda Johnson beats the heart of a comedian – or at least the passion of someone who is partial to an occasional prank and loves to make people laugh.

Each day, Ms. Johnson shows up at work with amusing stories to share, warm-hearted chuckles that she sprinkles liberally throughout her conversations, and a daily “mom” joke. On a recent Wednesday morning it was this: How much does a new roof cost? Answer: Nothing. It’s on the house.

Ms. Johnson’s career with UT Southwestern began in 1981 when, armed with just-completed nursing-assistant training, she went looking for work. UT Southwestern didn’t have any nurse aide positions, so she applied for a job in housekeeping, thinking she’d get a foot in the door. That strategy worked, and a few years later she was able to transfer to a position doing electrocardiograms (EKGs).

She has remained with the UT Southwestern Division of Cardiology ever since, though she switched years ago to a position as a scheduler for cardiovascular and interventional radiology procedures. “When I transferred to my present position, I had to interview with John Warner, M.D., and Brian Baldwin, M.D., who was the head of Cardiology at the time. I don’t know if they knew how nervous I was.” Today, Dr. Warner is Executive Vice President for Health System Affairs and Health System CEO.

Except for that rare nervous occasion, most of the time Ms. Johnson is a relaxed, fun-loving person. That’s especially true when she’s roller-skating. She began disco skating in the ’70s, going regularly with a group of seven or eight friends to a rink at the Cotton Bowl. Skating was her passion for years, and she fondly recalls skating with her cadre of friends in an MLK parade one year. She still gets out for an occasional turn around a skating rink with her daughter, Myka.

Another fond memory from her early days is winning a hula hoop contest at a UT Southwestern fair. “I won a big stuffed bear for swiveling my hips,” Ms. Johnson says.

These days, her hobbies are less physical. She’s a big reader, is partial to scifi and mysteries, and owns up to having watched the television series “Luther” three times.

Ms. Johnson grew up in Dallas, a middle daughter with a gaggle of sisters. Today she lives in Arlington with her younger sister. Because she’s an extrovert, the pandemic put a damper on her usual social interactions. She is therefore glad that her job has continued to take place at William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital, where co-workers are nearby to mingle with.

Ms. Johnson brings just as much warmth to her interactions with patients. “I think it’s really important if you work in a hospital to love people,” she says.

She takes pride in her conversations with the patients she is scheduling, knowing that many of them are anxious about their impending procedures. “I love it when I can get them laughing,” she says.