Mark A. Peterson

Mark A. Peterson is a Professor of Public Policy, Political Science, Health Policy and Management, and Law at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He serves as Chair of the Department of Public Policy and is a Senior Fellow at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. His academic career includes prior roles at the University of Pittsburgh and Harvard University. Peterson holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Michigan.

His research focuses on American national institutions, including the presidency, Congress, interest groups, and public opinion, with a specialization in health care policy, Medicare reform, HIV/AIDS policy, and the role of evidence in policymaking. Notable works include American Sisyphus: Health Care and the Challenge of Transformative Policymaking and Legislating Together: The White House and Capitol Hill from Eisenhower to Reagan.

Peterson has been involved in major policy initiatives, including advising Congress on the Affordable Care Act and serving on California’s Health Benefits Review Program. He co-chaired the Commission on the Executive Branch for the Annenberg Institutions of American Democracy Project and has held editorial roles for journals like the Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law.

His awards include the Richard E. Neustadt Award and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Investigator Award. He actively engages in public discourse, frequently commenting on health policy and political strategy in media outlets worldwide.