Vice Chair: Governance and Leadership Committee.
Member: Engineering and Capital Programs Committee; Special Committee on Bay-Delta; Water Planning and Stewardship Committee.

Water industry affiliations:

Peterson is past president of the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District's board and served as Division 2 director since 1986. He is also a current board member of ACWA, a board member of the NWRA and chair for the Federal Affairs Committee.

He was chair of the Association of California Water Agencies' 1995 region 8 nominating committee, and was a member of ACWA's water reclamation committee from 1993 to 1995.

Professional and community activities:

The owner of his own real estate company, Cornell Realty, since 1983, Peterson serves as director/treasurer of the Mountains Conservancy Foundation and treasurer of the Agoura Community Center Foundation. Additionally, he is a former trustee of the Conejo Future Foundation and a member and past president of the Las Virgenes Homeowners Federation and the Agoura Hills Rotary. Peterson is the founder of Peter Strauss Ranch and also is a Paul Harris Fellow.

He was also awarded the Public Health Appreciation Award from the California Dept. of Health Services for his work in fluoridation and is an award-winning grape grower and vintner.