Peter Dowling
Being raised in the international tourist destination of Anna Maria Island, FL has made Peter Dowling a global citizen from day one. He spent most of his formative years engaging with different cultures and nationalities through his father, a former history teacher who was a real estate agent at the time. These experiences helped mold Peter into the actively social and engaged scholar that he is today.
After serving as an enlisted infantryman and security guard in the U.S. Marine Corps' Third Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team (FAST) Company out of Norfolk, VA, Peter went on to earn his master's degree in international affairs from Florida State University. Three days after graduation found him serving on component liaison teams in the office of U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, and later for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Alejandro Mayorkas. He was awarded the USCIS Director's Pioneer Award for his communications support for early releases of the USCIS Electronic Immigration System (ELIS).
Peter has worked in both politics and public affairs, holding a variety of positions ranging from opposition research on campaigns, to developing media content and strategies on emerging issues. Currently, Peter is an Orlando area Social Studies instructor at East River High School in the Orange County Public School System. Teaching, mentoring and student engagement have become his passions, and he enjoys applying his public service experiences in preparing future generations of active and engaged citizens.
