Barbara A. Petersen, President
First Amendment Foundation

A graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia and Florida State University College of Law, Barbara A. Petersen is president of Florida's First Amendment Foundation. Before taking her current position in 1995, Petersen was staff attorney for the Joint Committee on Information Technology Resources of the Florida Legislature, where she worked exclusively on public records legislation and issues. A passionate advocate of the public's right to oversee its government, Petersen is the author of numerous reports and articles on open government issues. She currently serves on the board of the National Freedom of Information Coalition (NFOIC) and the Florida Society of News Editors, and sits on the advisory council for the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting. Petersen is past president of the NFOIC and was chair of Florida's Commission on Open Government Reform.