Dan Peterson moved to Macon, Georgia, from Chicago, Illinois, when he was ten and graduated from Mark Smith High School. Dan is a graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology and did post-graduate studies in Russian at the Monterey Institute of International Studies (CA) and in education at CW Post College (NY).

Dan lived in Moscow, Russia, for 14 years, serving as a missions director. Following that, he lived in Orlando, Florida, serving as a legislative assistant in the Florida Legislature, a public affairs manager and lobbyist for SPRINT, and president of the Coalition for Property Rights.

Dan is married to former Perry Councilwoman Joy Peterson, with whom he shares 17 grandchildren.