• Economic Policy Director
• pgess@aradvocates.org

Peter Gess joined the AACF team as Economic Policy Director in January 2024. Prior to AACF, Peter was Professor of Politics and Environmental Policy at Hendrix College. In his more than 16 years at Hendrix, Peter held various administrative roles, including Department Chair, Director of International Programs, Director of the Odyssey Engaged Learning Program, and Associate Provost for Engaged Learning. Peter has taught courses in public administration, public policy, and Arkansas politics. He also provides training in organizational ethics and budgeting and finance to state and local government officials through the Arkansas Public Administration Consortium.

Before coming to Hendrix, Peter helped launch the International Center for Democratic Governance at the Carl Vinson Institute of Government of the University of Georgia, a public service unit providing training and technical assistance to subnational governments in developing nations. In that role, Peter managed training programs in Eastern Europe and Asia for almost a decade. He also earned his doctorate in public administration from UGA. Peter has worked as data analyst for the Fiscal Research Program at Georgia State University.

Peter lives in Little Rock with his wife, Jennifer Gess, and their two dogs. They have two adult children away in college.