Former student lauded for volunteer efforts in Houston

A [list] (http://htexas.com/most-beautiful/25-beautiful-houstonians) of the 25 most beautiful Houstonians, selected by H magazine for the depth of their commitment to community service, includes Ben Johnston ‘02, a former environmental design student at Texas A&M.

Johnston, a sixth-generation Houstonian, has volunteered with the Montrose Counseling Center, the city of Houston’s animal shelter and adoption facility, the Houston Zoo and AIDS Foundation Houston.

As a volunteer coordinator with [Live Consortium] (http://liveconsortium.ning.com) , Ben organizes volunteers to educate Houstonians about HIV and encourages individuals to talk about the disease and become aware of their HIV status.

The co-founder of [Avondale Design Studio] (http://www.avondaledesignstudio.com) , Johnston is developing a master plan for the 11-building Mission of Yahweh campus, a homeless shelter for women and children.

A member of the interior design faculty at Houston Community College, Johnston mentors students and raises funds for design scholarships.

He’s been creating contemporary interiors for residential and commercial clients for ten years, continually striving to blur the line between interior and exterior space and the disciplines that separate them.