Former NASA Communicator Launches Houston City Council Bid

Doug Peterson

Doug Peterson

Pledging to work for all of Houston, Doug Peterson, long-time Clear Lake resident, has launched his campaign for Houston City Council At Large Position 3. After years in NASA External Affairs and community activism, Peterson says he will work for all Houston, from Clear Lake up to Kingwood and from the east side to the west side.

While representing all of Houston, as the first city council member from the Clear Lake area in over decade, Peterson will work hard for NASA/JSC, flood control, green space parks and economic development. “While we all appreciate improvements in and near downtown, taxpayers beyond 610 deserve just as much attention and support as those in the loop,” said Peterson. “When I work for all of Houston, that means all the way to the edge of town.”

“Houston is at a critical crossroads where long lingering issues need to be addressed for the city to empower residents, improve our quality of life and regain Houston’s future-oriented reputation,” Peterson said. “Rapidly expanding population, transportation and business, while generally good, are stretching Houston infrastructure and resources to a breaking point with critical symptoms from axle-busting streets to life-threatening floods.”

While focused on an early “listening” campaign to hear from Houston voters, Peterson says major steps are needed in economic development, education, environment, equality and effective city management. Urging the need for action now, Peterson said, “This is too critical of a crossroads for some city council positions to be wasted on place keepers.  Now is the time to take action for Houston’s future as a great city, it’s not time for endless talk and broken promises.”

This is Peterson’s first campaign for public office after several decades of NASA public service, and non-profit and political voluntarism.  At Johnson Space Center he coordinated media and public relations for the astronaut corps, led outreach and communications and advanced strategic communications.  As a volunteer he’s co-chairman of Clear Lake’s Exploration Green Conservancy and the Sierra Club of Bay Area, positions preceded by grassroots political campaigns.

With a Masters degree in Public Affairs and Bachelor’s in Political Science, Peterson has worked in a variety of roles including strategic planning, mediation, policy, blue collar and academic positions.

“The first college graduate of our family, I grew up with common middle class values that were burnished by a personal knowledge of the challenges all working and middle class families face, said Peterson. “I pledge to work for all Houstonians, from the bottom and up, and from the edges of town to downtown.”

A family man and soccer dad, Peterson and his wife have raised three daughters, all graduates of Clear Lake High School, with two now teaching in Houston schools and a third in her last year of college.

For more information check the Doug Peterson for All of Houston website at https://dougpetersonforhouston.nationbuilder.com.

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