Originally from Northeast Oklahoma, Dr. Johnston attended the University of Texas at Austin as an undergraduate. He spent the next several years at a non-profit organization in Boston serving youth with emotional and behavioral issues. After moving to Charlottesville in 2006, Dr. Johnston worked as a teacher’s aide at a therapeutic boarding school and as a research assistant at the UVA Center for Addiction Research and Education. 

Dr. Johnston's early work experiences inspired his decision to become a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist. He completed his medical training at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, and remained at UVA for his residency in General Psychiatry and fellowship in Child Psychiatry. Throughout residency and fellowship, he served in a variety of leadership roles, and was elected to the position of Chief Fellow in his final year.

In his free time Dr. Johnston can be found outdoors - hiking, hunting, fishing, or chasing his three children around the house. His wife, Dr. Amanda Sovik-Johnston, is a clinical psychologist in Charlottesville, and the two share a passion for serving the community’s mental health needs. ​