About Peter
Peter Cownie, resident of West Des Moines, was born and raised in Des Moines. Peter graduated from Dowling High School in West Des Moines. Upon graduation from Dowling, Peter attended and graduated from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. He played on the varsity men's tennis team and majored in American Government.
After graduating from the University of Virginia, Peter moved to Washington D.C. and worked at the Department of Transportation for then Secretary of Transportation, Norman Mineta. Peter worked as a scheduling and advance assistant for the Secretary traveling the United States and the world furthering the United States' transportation interests.
After living in Washington D.C. for three years, Peter then moved back to his home state of Iowa to work and start a family. Peter began work at the Iowa Statehouse for the Iowa Senate Republican Caucus staff. Peter was a legislative analyst serving the State Government Committee and the Health and Human Services Budget Subcommittee. While working at the Iowa Statehouse, Peter began his graduate studies for a Masters in Public Administration with an emphasis in Public Policy from Drake University. He is on schedule for graduation in August of 2008.
Peter is President of Junior Achievement of Central Iowa. Junior Achievement is a nonprofit organization located in Des Moines with a mission of teaching students K-12 the merits of entrepreneurship, financial literacy, savings and economics. Junior Achievement of Central Iowa reaches over 18,000 students on an annual basis.
Peter also serves as a director on the West Des Moines Community Enrichment Foundation and also volunteers for Boys & Girls Club, Variety Club of Central Iowa, and the Bull Moose Club. He is also a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in West Des Moines. This past June, Peter married his high school sweetheart, Mary.