Candidate for
Council Member; City of Menlo Park

Peter grew up in Menlo Park, attending both La Entrada Middle School and Woodside High School. He graduated with a B.A. in Economics, magna cum laude, from Harvard University and an M.B.A. from Stanford University's Graduate School of Business. Peter and his wife have three children.

Public Service History

Peter was elected to the Menlo Park City Council in 2010. In 2013, he additionally served as Mayor.

As a City Councilmember, after years of deficits, Peter helped balance Menlo Park's budget by paying down an unfunded pension liability that was costing about $800k each year, saving taxpayers $3.6 million in interest expense.

Peter worked to attract a start-up incubator and restaurateur downtown, and convinced Facebook to establish a community fund that benefits Menlo Park residents.

He also worked with downtown merchants to preserve our small town character by precluding 5-story parking garages and buildings on Santa Cruz Avenue parking plazas under the Specific Plan.

In addition, Peter worked with State Assemblyman Rich Gordon to introduce legislation (AB1690) that gives cities more flexibility in implementing zoning for housing that has passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in the state legislature and is on Governor Brown's desk for signing into law.

Peter supported an agreement between the City of Menlo Park and the Menlo Park Fire Protection District on emergency preparedness and operations, including an update of the city's emergency operations plan.

From 2007 through 2010, Peter was elected to the Menlo Park Fire Protection District Board of Directors, and served as the Board President in 2010. Peter served on the Finance Committee, and oversaw a balanced $32 million budget at the District. With Peter's leadership and financial background, the District paid down 78% of its $13 milllion pension obligation, saving the District millions in interest costs.

Professional History

Until recently, Peter was the Executive Director of the California Resiliency Alliance (CRA), a non-profit organization that brings businesses and government together to improve disaster planning and response statewide through effective collaboration between the public and private sectors. The California Emergency Services Association recognized Peter for "for exceptional efforts in support of emergency management and preparedness" in the Bay Area. The Business Recovery Managers Association recognized Peter with its Award for Excellence in 2009. Peter worked with Assembly Member Nava on AB2796, which extends Good Samaritan protection to businesses and non-profits that donate goods and services during disasters. AB2796 passed with bipartisan support and was signed by the Governor into law in 2008.

Prior to starting the CRA, Peter was the Chief Financial Officer and co-founder of a technology company that served the education and interactive media markets from 1994 to 2005. Early in his financial career, he worked in investment banking at Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, and C.E. Unterberg Towbin, where he financed technology companies. At Morgan Stanley, Peter helped take Cisco Systems public in 1990.