Before Stacii Jae Johnson helped couples on TV, she helped put Atlanta on screen

Years after helping make Atlanta a film and television powerhouse, Stacii Jae Johnson has returned to the screen with a different production in mind: healthier relationships.

The former city of Atlanta administrator turned marriage and family therapist is hosting “Put a Ring on It: Cheathab,” an unscripted series that follows three couples working through infidelity and trust issues while undergoing counseling at a Miami estate.

The Will Packer-produced spinoff to the “Put a Ring on It” franchise premieres on the Oprah Winfrey Network on Friday.

Johnson has set a goal to use the show to help 1 million families achieve emotional safety in romantic relationships. She said the number reflects her big personality and commitment to her vision.

“Where I’m from, a million of anything means you’ve done something big,” Johnson said.

Relationship coach Stacii Jae Johnson is the host of 'Put a Ring On It: Cheathab,' an unscripted series featuring her counseling three couples together experiencing infidelity and trust at a Miami estate. The series premieres on Oprah Winfrey Network on Friday, Jul. 31, 2026 (Courtesy of Derek Blanks).

That starts on Tuesday, when Johnson hosts a screening of the show at Morehouse College. Afterward, she will join voice actor Kenya Cabine and the show’s co-executive producer and showrunner, Monique Taylor, for a discussion.

Johnson joined the “Put a Ring on It” franchise during season four.

In the show’s current incarnation, she spends eight weeks advising the couples to date their past love interests, role-play and attend workshops. She said using radical honesty challenges them to be transparent and accountable.

“People are community, and they grow from listening and talking when you’re out of your own bubble,” Johnson said. “You have to level up with the communication and build muscles out of toxicity.”

Before becoming a relationship coach, Johnson helped elevate Atlanta’s presence in film and television.

In 2010, Johnson became the City of Atlanta’s entertainment and special events director under then-Mayor Kasim Reed, where she helped organize the Office of Film and Entertainment.

She also created After the Mayor’s Masked Ball, the official after-party for the UNCF Mayor’s Masked Ball.

Johnson said she was inspired to bring entertainment to local government after spending 15 years as an actress in Hollywood.

“I had to find a way to see myself in what I was doing,” Johnson said. “Politics helped me understand my value and place in Atlanta.”

In 2014, Johnson joined radio station V-103 as weekend on-air talent for two years. She went on to focus on helping people improve their romantic partnerships.

In 2023, Johnson earned a master’s degree in marriage and family counseling from Touro University.

Johnson, who was born in Inglewood, California, and raised in Memphis, said her interest in family and marriage counseling is rooted in observing the women in her life.

Her mother was married five times. Her grandmother was married three times.

“My mom was a fixer, and my grandmother married everyone because of money. They’re my why,” she said. “I was the total opposite of both. I’d meet a guy, go out, date him four or five times, and I’m his girlfriend but not going to marry you. I would give my heart to these men that didn’t deserve it. I told myself everything they didn’t get from love, I was going to be the change by helping other women and men change as well.”