Mayor Ann Johnston

Biography

Mayor Johnston has owned and operated a retail business in Stockton since 1981 and has been actively involved in the community as both an elected official and a community volunteer.  She served as a City Councilmember from 1995 to 2002, helping initiate the current redevelopment of the downtown and waterfront area as well as the beginning of major initiatives to address neighborhood crime.

From 1979 to 1992 Mayor Johnston served as a Lodi Unified School District Board Member and worked to build 13 new schools in North Stockton during that period of rapid enrollment growth. Her community involvement began in 1977 with her election as President of the Elkhorn School Parent Teacher Association.  She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences and a Secondary Teaching Credential from San Francisco State University. Mayor Johnston also served as a Peace Corps volunteer who taught English as a Second Language in Iran.

Mayor Johnston's goals are to rid Stockton of criminal activity, gangs, and neighborhood blight; finish the downtown and waterfront redevelopment; bring in new business with high-paying jobs and good benefits; and work with our local school districts to improve literacy and graduation rates.  On October 24, 2009, Mayor Johnston hosted the Stockton's Promise Education Summit which focused on decreasing the dropout rates in Stockton.  The summit spearheaded several programs to encourage the Mayor's goal of improving Education and Literacy.   The Mayor's Book Club is an initiative of the Education Summit focusing on pre-reading skills and kindergarten readiness of 4-year-olds in our community. 

Mayor Johnston is the Moderator for the Mayor's Task Force for Persons with Disabilities.  The task force meets monthly and  is committed to enriching the lives of disabled persons within the community through education, action and outreach.  More information can be found on the Disabilities Task Force page.

In the 2009 State of the City address Mayor Johnston called upon the citizens of Stockton to become part of a city-wide volunteer corps.  VISTAS (Volunteers in Service to Aid Stockton) is a program that has been developed from that call to action and it is continuing to thrive today. To volunteer with VISTAS, please see External Links below.

Mayor Johnston is affiliated with the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce, Stockton Rotary, League of Women Voters, Campaign for Common Ground and the Workforce Investment Board. She represents the City on several Boards and Commissions.

External Links

VISTAS - Volunteers In Service To Aid Stockton

Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce

Campaign for Common Ground

State of the City Speech 2012 - May 18, 2012

State of the City Speech 2011 - May 19, 2011

State of the City Speech 2010 - May 13, 2010
State of the City Speech 2009 - February 26, 2009

This City of Stockton web page last reviewed on --- 5/17/2012