Michael R. Peterson, D.V.M., M.P.H., Dr.PH
Dr. Peterson received his D.V.M. from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in 1970, his M.P.H. from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health in 1976, and his Dr.PH from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health in 1985. He retired as a Colonel from the Air Force in 1995 after 22 years on active duty.
As Chief, Chronic Disease Epidemiology at the US Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine from 1985 - 1987, he was a principal investigator on the Air Force Health Study, an epidemiological investigation of health effects in Air Force personnel following exposure to herbicides (Agent Orange). From 1987 – 1992, Dr. Peterson was the Senior Policy Analyst in Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs (ASD/HA). His work included developing DoD policy on HIV-infected military personnel, ensuring that infected individuals remained on active duty until no longer physically fit, and also helping to formulate vaccine policies for beneficiaries of the Military Health System (MHS) and the rest of the nation. From 1992 – 1995, he was the Executive Secretary, Armed Forces Epidemiological Board (a group of civilian scientific and medical consultants to the military Surgeons General).
From 1995 - 2001, Dr. Peterson was a Distinguished Scientist and the Chair, Department of Epidemiology, Repository and Research Services, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP), Washington, DC. While at the AFIP, he established a Registry of Public Health and Epidemiology to support public health research and served as the staff consultant in biostatistics and epidemiology. From 2001 – 2008, he was the Deputy Director and then Director, Health Program Analysis and Evaluation, Department of Defense TRICARE Management Activity, directing a staff of 20 professionals involved in conducting and reporting results of satisfaction surveys, population health surveys, surveys of provider perspectives, and analytical work on the effectiveness of health care of the Department of Defense. From 2008 until 2009, he was the Deputy Director and Director of Healthcare Operations at the TRICARE Management Activity.
Dr. Peterson has published extensively. He is a Fellow of the American College of Epidemiology and a 1995 recipient of the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health Distinguished Alumnus award.
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