Senator Janet Petersen

Janet Petersen is serving her fourth term in the Iowa Senate, and previously served six terms in the Iowa House of Representatives. She represents Senate District 18, which includes the Beaverdale, Merle Hay, downtown and Racoon River areas in Des Moines. 

Janet was the first woman elected to serve as Iowa Senate Democratic Leader (2017-2020).

Whether it’s sponsoring and passing Iowa’s Smokefree Air Act, advancing stronger domestic abuse prevention laws, fighting to extend the statute of limitations for survivors of sexual violence, helping Iowans get better healthcare, or cracking down on corruption in state government, Janet knows how to bring people together and push policy ideas that matter.

Janet is a passionate advocate for children and families. As a young girl, she saw first-hand how life can change in an instant when her dad died of melanoma. Fortunately for Janet and her sister Barb, their mom had an education to fall back on, which prevented them from slipping into poverty. That is one of the reasons Janet is a supporter of public education and equal pay for equal work.

Janet’s mom has always been a strong, steady force in her life. She taught her the importance of showing up for people, just as friends, family and neighbors did for them when they needed help. Janet carries that belief with her, showing up for Iowans with policies that can help them succeed and regain their footing when life throws an unexpected curveball.

Outside of the Legislature, Janet founded a nonprofit organization called Healthy Birth Day, Inc., with four other Des Moines-area women. The organization is best known for its Count the Kicks campaign that educates parents-to-be on how to track their babies’ movements to reduce their risk of stillbirth. Since its launch in Iowa, the state has reduced its stillbirth rate by 32% overall and 39% among black families. Count the Kicks footprint has grown, serving birthing parents and providers in multiple states and countries through its free app and educational resources.  Their organization championed the federal Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act, which received strong bipartisan support in Congress and was signed into law by President Biden in July 2023.  The Act ensures every state and territory in the United States has access to stillbirth prevention dollars through the Title V Act.

Janet lives north of Beaverdale, not far from where she grew up, with her husband Brian Pattinson, an Ames native, and their three kids – Charlie, Maggie and Buck.

Contact Senator Petersen at janet.petersen@legis.iowa.gov or follow her on social media.