Mara Johnston joined Star America Capital Advisors in 2016 as the VP of Business Development.

Prior to joining Star America, Mara spent four years at both Zurich and AIG, where she built strong relationships with some of the largest and most influential contractors in North America. Her responsibilities included developing her respective teams, while growing the book of business in the construction divisions at each company.

Before her entrance into the insurance industry, Mara worked as an Urban Planner for STV, Inc in New York City, and as a Project Planner for Milligan and Company in Philadelphia, PA. While at STV, she focused on delivering Environmental Impact Statements to the School Construction Authority, NYC Department of City Planning among other significant agencies in NYC. Her responsibilities also included providing robust and sound feedback through transportation studies in various states and contributing to a National FTA study on emergency preparedness while at Milligan.

Mara is the past president of the NYC Chapter of the Construction Financial Management Association. She received the 2017 Next Generation of Women Builders Award from the Women Builders Council.  In addition, she is fluent in Spanish.  She graduated from Bryn Mawr College with a BA in the Growth and Structure of Cities and holds her Masters Degree from the University of Pennsylvania in City and Regional Planning with a focus on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Mara holds her FINRA Series 79 and 63 Licenses.