Eugene Peterson was appointed to the
Board in July 2002 as the District 32 representative. In
2007 he was reappointed to District 32, and to the newly-created
District 21, per new legislation. Mr. Peterson’s initiatives
during his first term included the annual Health and Wellness
Fair, support for an affirmative action plan, and support for
the expansion of alternative education options for students.
Mr. Peterson
has worked for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration since
entering federal service in 1991. His current assignment is Compliance
Officer/Supervisor, Office of Civil Rights. Before entering federal
service, Mr. Peterson was appointed by the governor and served as the
governor’s representative and Director of the Washington State Traffic
Safety Commission from 1889-1991.
For many
years Mr. Peterson has been active in the local and County Council of PTAs,
and in 2006 served on the national board of the Parent Teacher Association
(PTA).
In 2006, Mr.
Peterson received a gubernatorial appointment to the task force to study
changing the age of compulsory attendance from 16 to 18. At the request of
state Superintendent of Schools Dr. Nancy Grasmick, he also serves on the
state superintendent’s Family Involvement Council.
A 1970 cum
laude graduate of Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, and Woodrow Wilson
Fellow, Mr. Peterson received his Master of Arts degree in political science
from the University of Washington in 1971. He has lived in Laurel, Maryland
in the Russett community for the last 11 years. Married to Arlette, he is
the proud father of Sarah, who graduated from Meade High School in 2002 and
from the University of Delaware with a degree in music education.