Project Manager II - Critical Manufacturing

Erik Peterson is a Project Manager at Sam Houston State University’s Institute of Homeland Security, where he leads the Critical Manufacturing Sector. A certified peace officer and federal agent for over 33 years, his extensive career spans high level leadership roles in counterintelligence, cyber operations, and critical infrastructure protection.

Peterson served 17 years as an NCIS Special Agent and three years as a US Army CID Cyber Agent, including 15 combined years embedded with FBI Task Forces. Throughout his federal service, he coordinated international counterintelligence operations, oversaw critical cyber intrusion investigations safeguarding defense technology, and was named the NCIS Special Agent of the Year in 2020.

At the state level, Peterson spent years with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), rising to the rank of Lieutenant and managing the state's central counterterrorism repository. Most recently, he supervised Critical Infrastructure Engagement within the DPS Homeland Security Division, chairing two statewide advisory bodies to enhance public-private threat data sharing.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice with a minor in English from Sam Houston State University and has received numerous civilian service awards from the Army and Navy.

Erik is married to his beautiful wife,  Dena, and has two grown sons, Jake and Braden, the latter of whom is serving his country in the U.S. Navy and one that leads a startup company in Austin, TX.