Dana Peterson

Dana Peterson

2017 NACSA Leader

Dana Peterson is the Assistant Director of Charter School Authorizing at the University of St. Thomas, where she serves as primarily liaison for eight schools, manages new school processes, oversees network collaboration and support activities, and led the board’s recent strategic planning process. Dana is actively involved in the Minnesota Association of Charter School Authorizing as a member of the executive committee and chair of the strategic planning committee. She also serves as the board chair for the newly authorized middle school – Big Picture Twin Cities. Previously, she supported the establishment and growth of a preK-12 charter school system in California, where she served in a variety of capacities including managing the chartering process for two new schools and leading two schools through successful charter renewals. In her free time, Dana enjoys being outdoors, working out, cooking, photography, and walking her chocolate lab.


Most Recent Posts
Applying Charter Authorizing Principles in the Early Childhood Field
This blog was written by Abby McCartney, Director, Early Care and Education, Afton Partners and Carrie Stewart, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Afton Partners Introduction: Early Care and Education at a...
2023 State of Charter Authorizing Report
Authorizing is the most consequential public school governance reform of the past two decades. For the last 20+ years, authorizers have been creating a new landscape, where school autonomy—balanced by...
The Way to More Community-Responsive Schools
Authorizers don’t develop or design new schools. But they are the gateways that help bring these schools to life, providing the conditions and expectations for what extraordinary schools and equitable...