Mark Johnston, Deputy Assistant Secretary

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Mark Johnston is currently the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Special Needs within HUD's Office of Community Planning and Development. He is responsible for administering the Department's $1.7 billion in assistance for persons who are homeless and low-income persons with HIV/AIDS. These funds are used to provide homeless prevention, emergency shelter, transitional housing, permanent housing and supportive services.

Mr. Johnston has previously served in various capacities related to solving homelessness, including HUD's Deputy Director and then Director of the Office of Special Needs (Homeless) Assistance Programs. He also served at HUD as the Senior Advisor on Homelessness and at the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness as its Deputy Director. Mr. Johnston began his career when selected as a Presidential Management Intern in 1983 and worked at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Nutrition Service on poverty and homeless related-issues. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Policy from Brigham Young University in 1981 and a Master of Arts from Indiana University in Public Affairs in 1983.