Dates

• Existence: 1970-

Biography

Janet Petersen was born in 1970 in Des Moines. She earned a bachelors degree from the University of Northern Iowa and a masters from Drake, both in the field of communications. A marketing and public relations professional, Petersen has worked for the 1992 Clinton-Gore campaign and the American Heart Association. In 2004, she and four other Des Moines moms founded an organization to raise awareness and research funding for the prevention of stillbirths. A Democrat, Petersen has represented parts of Des Moines in the Iowa legislature for over 20 years, serving House District 72 from 2001-2003, House District 64 from 2003-2013, and Senate District 18 beginning in 2023. In 2017, she became the first woman to serve as the minority leader in the Iowa Senate.

Found in 2 Collections and/or Records: