Thomas D. Peterson

President and CEO, Center for Climate Strategies

Thomas D. “Tom” Peterson is President and CEO of the Center for Climate Strategies (CCS), which he founded in 2004 to advance practical, collaborative solutions to climate, energy, and economic challenges. He brings more than four decades of experience in public policy, economic analysis, and stakeholder-driven governance, leading over 100 major policy development and implementation initiatives across the United States and internationally.

Mr. Peterson’s work focuses on building institutional and community capacity to design and implement integrated, multi-objective solutions that address climate resilience, clean energy transitions, economic development, and environmental stewardship. He is widely recognized for his leadership in consensus-based policy processes that translate complex technical analysis into actionable strategies with broad stakeholder support.

In addition to his leadership at CCS, Mr. Peterson serves as Adjunct Professor and Lecturer in the Energy Policy and Climate program at Johns Hopkins University and as Adjunct Professor in the Environmental Science and Policy Department at George Mason University. He also serves as an elected Council Member for the City of Fairfax, Virginia, where he applies his expertise in governance, fiscal policy, and community engagement.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Peterson served as a Senior Advisor at the White House, working with both the Council of Economic Advisers and the Council on Environmental Quality. He has also held roles as a Legislative Fellow in the U.S. Senate, an Economist at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Vice President at DSL Capital Corporation, and Division Chief for a state conservation agency.

He holds a B.S. in Biology from the College of William & Mary, an M.S. in Environmental Management from Duke University, and an M.B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin. His honors include two U.S. EPA Gold Medals for Exceptional Service, recognizing his leadership contributions to the 1992 Northern Spotted Owl Endangered Species Committee and the 1993 Pacific Northwest Forestry Plan.