Pete Peterson climbs ranks of academia after losing California race

Pete Peterson, who ran unsuccessfully for California Secretary of State in 2014, has been tapped to lead the School of Public Policy at Pepperdine University.

Peterson has spent nearly a decade at Pepperdine, most recently as interim dean. In the cordial campaign against Democrat Alex Padilla, in which Peterson finished with the best showing among statewide Republican candidates, he focused on increasing civic participation and using technology to improve government transparency.

In addition to his university work, Peterson advises the League of California Cities as well as the budget-transparency firm OpenGov. Peterson’s elevation continues his longstanding relationship with the university. A resident of Santa Monica, he received a master’s degree in public policy from Pepperdine.