Gaston was raised in a religious and service-oriented background that later informed his work as a pastor and public servant. Early in his career, he interned for and was mentored by the late U.S. Representative
John Lewis. Gaston was also mentored by The Rev. Jesse Jackson. Gaston has held several senior academic and administrative positions. He serves as Vice President and Chief of Staff at the University of Bridgeport, where he is also a Professor of Criminal Justice & Society and a Professor of Sociology. He is the first African American to hold this academic post in the university’s history. Previously, he served as Director of Admissions and Recruitment at Yale Divinity School, becoming the first African American to hold that role since the school’s founding. In addition to his academic work, Gaston serves as Assistant Chief Administrative Officer and Commissioner of the Civil Service Commission for the
City of Bridgeport. He also serves as the Protestant Chaplain for the Bridgeport Police Department. ==Political career==