TPA Welcomes Director James Peterson

TPA is pleased to announce that James Peterson has joined the Firm to direct our offices in Washington, DC and Southern California. James will be responsible for leading federal advocacy efforts on behalf of TPA federal and state clients.

James joined TPA after a long and distinguished 15-year career as a senior aide to U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, where he spent time working in both her Washington, DC and California offices.

Initially in Senator Feinstein’s State Office, James served for over a decade as the Senator’s key liaison with California’s elected officials; state, local, and special district government officials; public agencies; business leaders; interest groups; and nonprofit organizations. As Deputy State Director, James also supported the Senator on a wide variety of important California policy issues, including environmental, agriculture, energy, transportation, border security and infrastructure, and tribal matters.

Most recently, James assisted Senator Feinstein in Washington, DC, serving as the Senator’s lead policy and legislative advisor on important water and public land issues, as well as related appropriations matters. His activity included extensive work with the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, U.S. Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, and the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

During his time on Capitol Hill, James led Senator Feinstein’s efforts to establish new conservation, recreation and renewable energy areas in the California desert, drafting legislation which served as the basis for President Obama’s designation of the Mojave Trails National Monument, Sand to Snow National Monument and Castle Mountains National Monument in February 2016. He also played a key role in drafting and negotiating drought relief legislation aimed at improving water supply reliability throughout California and the West.

James obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from University of California, Los Angeles. He is a member of both the California State Society and the National Parks Conservation Association and presently lives in Huntington Beach with his two sons, Drew and Sam.