Mark Peterson has been named the next chair of the Public Policy Department in the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, effective July 1. Peterson previously served in this position from 2002 to 2006.
Peterson, a professor of public policy, political science and law, earned his Ph.D. in political science from the University of Michigan. A specialist on American national institutions, Peterson focuses much of his scholarship on interactions among the presidency, Congress and interest groups, evaluating their implications for policymaking, both within the general domain of domestic policy and with special attention to national health care policy and Medicare reform. He is also a founding team member of the UCLA-based multidisciplinary Blue Sky Health Initiative to transform the U.S. health and health care system, which has helped advise Congress on the inclusion of disease prevention and health promotion strategies in the Affordable Care Act.
Peterson's appointment was announced by Dean Franklin Gilliam who said, "I've relied on him over the years for his sound counsel and I look forward to working with him over the coming years."
