Michael Petro

For more than 20 years, Mr. Petro has led CED’s outreach campaigns designed to connect CED’s policy agenda to its 170 Members, other business leaders, and policy organizations throughout the country. His work has impacted the debate around several major policy issues including mobilizing “business champions” in support of early childhood education and securing 300 business endorsers in support of federal and state campaign finance reform initiatives.

Prior to joining CED, Mr. Petro served as Vice President of the Center for National Policy. For over seven years he was responsible for overseeing the day-to-day activities of this public policy organization. Mr. Petro played an instrumental role in directing the organization’s development and communications agenda.

Mr. Petro has had extensive policy interactions with public and private sector leaders of various countries throughout the world. Mr. Petro led a congressional staff delegation to Taiwan and Hong Kong in 1994 and participated in a 1997 delegation to South Korea led by former Speaker of the House Thomas Foley. More recently, Mr. Petro participated in policy programs in The Netherlands, South Africa, Brazil, Spain and Finland. He also served as a keynote speaker at the 2012 International Children’s Reading and Development Forum in Zhengzhou, China.

Mr. Petro has been active in a variety of political activities, including his work on the presidential campaigns of John Glenn and Walter Mondale; serving as National Finance Director for Bob Graham’s 1986 senate campaign; and working as Executive Director of the Democratic Business Council. Also, Mr. Petro has served on several nonprofit boards including the Justice at Stake Campaign, the Center for Political Accountability and the Insight Center for Community Economic Development.

Mr. Petro studied at Brunel University in England and is a graduate of the State University of New York at Brockport.