Michael Johnston (Colorado legislator)

Michael Johnston
Johnston in 2009.
Member of the Colorado Senate from the 33rd district
In office May 29, 2009 – January 11, 2017.
Preceded by	Peter Groff
Succeeded by	Angela Williams
Personal details
Born	(1974-11-17) November 17, 1974 (age 42) Vail, Colorado
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Courtney Johnston (m. 2004)
Children	Seamus (b. 2007) Emmet (b. 2007) Ava (b. 2011)
Alma mater	Yale University (B.A.) Harvard University (Ed.M.) Yale University (J.D.)
Profession	Politician
Website	www.mikejohnston.org

Mike Johnston (born November 17, 1974) is a former state legislator in the Colorado Senate. He represented Senate District 33 in Northeast Denver. In early 2017, Johnston announced his candidacy for Governor of Colorado. Colorado elects a new governor in 2018.

Born and raised in Vail, Colorado, Johnston is the son of former Vail Mayor Paul Johnston. After graduating from Vail Mountain School in 1993, he attended Yale University, earning his bachelor's degree in philosophy in 1997. During high school and college, Johnston became involved in community service activities, including volunteering at a Denver homeless shelter and mentoring youth in a New Haven housing project.

After graduating from college, Johnston taught at a rural high school in Greenville, Mississippi for two years as part of the Teach For America program. Based on this experience, he wrote the book In the Deep Heart’s Core. After his program ended, Johnston enrolled in the Harvard Graduate School of Education, earning a master's degree in education policy. While at Harvard, Johnston worked with Al Gore education advisor John Schnur. With Schnur and others, Johnston helped to found New Leaders for New Schools, an organization dedicated to training and recruiting leaders for urban schools.

After earning his master's degree, Johnston enrolled in Yale Law School, and became an education policy advisor to political candidates, including Colorado U.S. Senate candidate Tom Strickland in 2002. After returning to Colorado in 2003, Johnston was hired as a principal by Joan Farley Academy, where he achieved an annual increase in the graduation rate. In 2004, he served as principal of the Marvin Foote Detention Center, which houses students in detention centers held in state custody, and organized the first high school graduation in the center's history.