Anthony Johnston was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. Johnston initially enjoyed an acting career before electing to become a secondary school teacher. In a Coalition of Essential Schools-affiliated school in San Francisco, Leadership High School, he taught high school English for a decade and served as a department chair and as a school coach/consultant for Bay Area schools. In 2009, Johnston pursued a doctorate to become a professor of teacher education and began working as the secondary program director and an education professor at the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford, CT, in 2014. In Connecticut, Johnston continues to support schools, teachers, and districts to develop and sustain socially just and equitable outcomes for students. Johnston is an active member of AERA, LRA, and NCTE. Johnston is committed to preparing teachers to be effective practitioners committed to equity, social justice, and liberation through meaningful and authentic learning experiences.