Donna J. Peterson, M.H.S., Sc.D.
Dean
College of Public Health
University of South Florida

Dr. Peterson is Dean of the College of Public Health at the University of South Florida. She earned her doctoral and masters degrees from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.  She has held positions Donna J. Petersen, M.H.S., Sc.D. with the federal government and the state of Maryland and has served on numerous community agency boards and gubernatorial commissions and task forces. 

Dr. Petersen is a frequent lecturer on topics related to maternal and child health, health care reform, and systems change and leadership, and has provided extensive technical assistance and training to state health departments in the areas of needs assessment, data system development, and public health roles within evolving health care systems.  She has devoted particular attention to public health responsibilities in monitoring health status, access, utilization, and quality of health care and in the areas of systems level accountability and the development of population-based indicators.  Dr. Petersen is the author of numerous publications, book chapters and a textbook on needs assessment in public health.