Mike Johnston

Mike Johnston is a prominent educator and leader in the philanthropic sector, currently serving as the President and CEO of Gary Community Ventures, a Denver-based organization focused on improving opportunities for children and families in Colorado. He began his career as a teacher in rural Mississippi, which deeply influenced his educational philosophy and led him to write the acclaimed book, In the Deep Heart’s Core .14

Johnston returned to Colorado to address educational inequities, founding MESA, a school that achieved a historic 100% graduation rate with all seniors being admitted to four-year colleges. His commitment to education continued as he served as a senior education policy advisor during Barack Obama's 2008 campaign and transition .16 He was elected to the Colorado State Senate from 2009 to 2017, where he passed over 100 bipartisan bills addressing various issues including education reform and immigration policy .15

Under his leadership at Gary Community Ventures, which he joined in January 2020, Johnston spearheaded initiatives such as COVIDCheck Colorado, providing millions of COVID-19 tests and vaccines during the pandemic. He also played a key role in passing Proposition EE for universal preschool funding and Proposition 123 for affordable housing .23 His tenure was marked by a focus on leveraging business, policy, and philanthropy to create impactful solutions for community challenges .45

In November 2022, Johnston resigned from his position at Gary Community Ventures to run for Mayor of Denver, highlighting his ongoing commitment to public service .23 He holds degrees from Yale College, Harvard Graduate School of Education, and Yale Law School, and is fluent in Spanish. Johnston lives in East Denver with his wife Courtney and their three children .16