She is working on a critical biography of Madonna for the Harlequin Enterprises subsidiary Hanover Square Press.

[2] In April 2011, she became the music editor of The Village Voice,[3] holding that position until September 2012.

[5] She is an adjunct professor at Boston College, which named her the inaugural Institute for Liberal Arts Journalism Fellow in 2013.

Johnston is involved with Boston College's non-commercial radio station WZBC as a DJ and advisory board member and has DJed at WNUR and WPRB.

She has discussed music and popular culture on NPR, WNYC, WBUR and CBC Radio.