About Allan Peterson

Address: 7009 Horseshoe Bend, Fargo, ND 58104

Family Status: Married, for 33 years to my wife, Judy, three children Lisa, Neil and Kurt and a son-in-law, Jim. Raised on my parents' dairy farm near Brandon, Minnesota.

Educational and Employment History: Earned a degree as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.) from the University of Minnesota's College of Veterinary Medicine; also earned a Masters degree in Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology at the University of Minnesota's College of Veterinary Medicine. Completed the course work necessary for a graduate degree in statistics from the Statistics Department at North Dakota State University.

Employed six plus years as an assistant professor at the Veterinary Science Department at North Dakota State University. Employed for seven years as a research fellow at the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN.

A progressive, degenerative eye disease, known as retinitis pigmentosa, led to the condition of "Legal blindness" in 1982. There were no treatment or surgical procedures available to correct the affects of the disease.

Community Involvement and Interests:

North Dakota Association of the Blind (NDAB): Served as President (4 years), Legislative Liaison for NDAB (10 years), Board of Directors (3 years). Member of the Association for the past 20 years.

Board President of Handi-Wheels, Transportation Inc. a transportation service provider for people with disabilities in the Fargo area (4 years).

North Dakota Human Rights Coalition (NDHRC), Chair (5 years).

Board member of Churches United for the Homeless, a church based shelter for people who are homeless in the Fargo-Moorhead area.

Also serve as Worship Committee, Chair for Churches United for the Homeless. (4 years)

North Dakota Disability Advocacy Consortium. Board member and member of the Executive Committee. (4 years)

State Independent Living Council Board member (4 years).

Member of the Metro Area Mayors Committee for People with Disabilities. (10 years).

Member of the Advisory Board for North Dakota Vision Services - School for the Blind (6 years).

Member of the Horace Lions Club. (17 years).

Co-chair of Insight a support group for people with sight loss in the Fargo Moorhead area. (12 years)

Member of the Membership Committee of the American Council of the Blind.

Member of St. John Lutheran Church in Fargo for the past 27 years.
-Served as Chairperson of the Mission Ministry Committee for 15 years.
-Served on the church Council for 6 years.
-Presently, Chair of the St. John Refugee Resettlement Committee.

Board member of East Cass County Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. (2 years).