Pepperdine School of Public Policy Appoints Dr. Peter Pirnejad as Executive Director of the Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership
MALIBU, California – The Pepperdine School of Public Policy (SPP) has appointed Dr. Peter Pirnejad, ICMA-CM, as the Executive Director of the Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership, which fosters collaboration and innovation between communities and local government.
“I am incredibly excited to begin this next chapter of my career at Pepperdine and to transition more fully into academia after nearly three decades in local government,” said Dr. Pirnejad. “Serving as Executive Director of the Davenport Institute represents an opportunity to bring practical, real-world experience into the classroom and into the broader conversation about public leadership, governance, and civic engagement.”
As Executive Director, Dr. Pirnejad will provide leadership and vision for the Davenport Institute, overseeing strategic planning, professional education, and program development, while engaging both local government practitioners and Pepperdine students preparing for careers in municipal leadership. He will also serve as a non-tenure track faculty member with a teaching and mentoring role within SPP’s State and Local Government Policy curricular track and related student programs, such as the ICMA Student Chapter and City Manager and Mayor in Residence initiatives.
“I'm so excited for Peter to take on the leadership role of the Davenport Institute,” said Pete Peterson, Dean of the Pepperdine School of Public Policy. “With his extensive local government background and passion for public engagement and government innovation, the kinds of new educational programs he's designing in municipal government leadership for the Institute will be both timely and groundbreaking.”
Dr. Pirnejad’s extensive career includes senior leadership roles in cities across California, including City Manager of the Town of Los Altos Hills, City Manager of Foster City, Assistant City Manager for Napa, and Development Services Director for Palo Alto, as well as public sector strategy work as a Senior Director at Oracle. He currently serves as President of Cal-ICMA for the 2025/26 term, supports the Santa Clara County City Managers’ Leadership Academy, and lectures at institutions such as Stanford and UCLA.
Dr. Pirnejad holds a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Geography from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and both a Master’s and Doctorate in Policy, Planning, and Development from the University of Southern California.
About Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership
Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership at the Pepperdine School of Public Policy believes in empowering citizens to actively participate in the policy decisions that affect their daily lives. Through various resources and professional certificate programs in public engagement and smart communities, the institute encourages greater civic engagement to build confidence in local democracy.
About Pepperdine University School of Public Policy
Pepperdine’s School of Public Policy (SPP) is built on a distinctive philosophy of nurturing public leaders to use tools of analysis and policy design to effect real change. Grounded in understanding policy's moral and distinctly American elements, SPP prepares graduates for careers as leaders by offering a master’s degree in public policy and three joint-degree programs. The school’s Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership promotes citizen participation in governance through major conferences, trainings, seminars, and published research. Follow SPP on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
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