Candidate for
Councilmember; City of San Luis Obispo

Born February 12, 1957 in Austin Texas. Father was the Rev. John Paul Carter, an Episcopal minister, now deceased. Mother is Joan Worstell Carter, retired homemaker, age 81, who resides in Sewanee, TN. Five brothers and sisters.

Grew up in The Plains, VA, a town of 450 people, 50 miles west of Washington, DC.

Graduated high school from Salisbury School, Salisbury, CT, June 1975. Also spent school-year abroad at Le College Cevenol, Le Chambon-sur-Lignon, France, 1973-74.

Attended Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 1975-79. Graduated with an BA in Politics, June 1979. Took semester off to hike the 2100-mile Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine, 1977.

Won competitive paid internship with United Way of America, Alexandria, VA, 1979-80. Joined United Way of Tompkins County, Ithaca, NY as Associate Executive Director, 1980-83.

Attended the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 1983-85. Graduated with an MBA in Marketing, June 1985.

Worked as Account Executive at Young & Rubicam, New York, NY, 1985-88. At that time, Young & Rubicam was the largest advertising agency in the United States.

Worked at Nestlé Waters North America in Greenwich, CT from 1988 through 1996 in various marketing positions. Nestlé Waters is the largest bottled water company in the United States and the world. It owns numerous regional bottled water brands, including Arrowhead and Calistoga.

Moved to San Luis Obispo in May, 1996.

Worked as Marketing Director for Dioptics Medical Products and then Information Presentation Technologies, 1996-97.

Since September, 1997, a freelance writer and stay-at-home dad. Focus of writing has been humor, hiking, and social commentary. Taught marketing at Cal Poly business school, 1998-99.

Regular attendee and speaker at City Council meetings, December 2000 to present.

Frequent "Letters to the Editor" and "Voices" contributor to The Tribune, 1997 to present. Frequent guest on the "Dave Congalton Radio Show," KVEC AM 920, 2001 to present.

Community Involvement:
Member, Housing Element Update Task Force (2003)
Steering Committee, Workforce Housing Coalition (present)
Board Member, Residents for Quality Neighborhoods (present)
Board Member, United Methodist Children's Center (present)
Member, San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce (present)
Cookie Chair, Girl Scouts (various troops, 7 years & counting)

Homeowner. Resides at 1283 Woodside Drive, San Luis Obispo.

Married to Liz Johnston since September 26, 1988. Four children -- Rebecca, born 2/13/90; William, born 10/22/92; Charlotte, born 5/24/96; and Eleanor, born 3/13/99.

Ms. Johnston is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She works at Twin Cities Hospital in Templeton and has a private pyschotherapy practice.