Candidate for
Councilmember; City of San Luis Obispo

Brief Candidate Profile:

• I've been married for 15 years and have four children, ages 3 to 12.

• I worked for 12 years in marketing before becoming a freelance writer, part-time lecturer, and stay-at-home dad.

• I have a BA from Princeton University and an MBA from the Wharton School.

• I've lived in San Luis Obispo since 1996.

• Like many of you, I own a home I couldn't afford to buy today.

• I'm an avid hiker. As a college student, I walked the 2100-mile Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine.

• I'm active in my church and with my daughters' Girl Scout troops.

• I've been a frequent Letters to the Editor writer in the Tribune and a regular guest on the Dave Congalton Radio Show.

• 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 79, who resides in Sewanee, TN. Five brothers and sisters.

• Raised 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 AB 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 the time, Young & Rubicam was the largest advertising agency in the United States.

• Worked at the Perrier Group of America, Greenwich, CT from 1988 through 1996 in various marketing positions. The Perrier Group is the largest bottled water company in the United States. In addition to brand Perrier, it owns numerous regional bottled water brands across the country. In California, it owns Arrowhead and Calistoga.

• Moved to San Luis Obispo in May, 1996.

• Worked in San Luis Obispo as Marketing Director for Dioptics Medical Products and Information Presentation Technologies, 1996-97

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

• Attendee and speaker at City Council, County Board of Supervisors and San Luis Coastal School Board meetings, December 2000 to present.

• Frequent "Letters to the Editor" writer in the Tribune, 1997 to present. Frequent guest and essayist on the "Dave Congalton Radio Show," KVEC AM 920, 2001 to present.

• 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 has an MSW from the Smith School for Social Work, Northampton, MA. She is clincal social worker on the rehab unit at Sierra Vista Hospital. She also has a private practice.