The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has appointed Christina Peterson as director of the Department of Human Resources. Her appointment is effective Monday, May 18. 

Peterson brings more than 20 years of human capital leadership experience across federal agencies. She most recently served as chief human capital officer at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), where she led enterprise-wide HR strategy and operations for a nationwide workforce of thousands, overseeing hiring, workforce planning and employee relations. She also led modernization efforts that reduced hiring timelines and strengthened workforce planning and employee engagement. 

Prior to her role at HUD, Peterson served as deputy director of civilian human resources for the U.S. Navy Naval Sea Systems Command, where she helped lead HR strategy and operations for a global workforce of tens of thousands and oversaw multiple HR offices. In that role, she supported large-scale recruiting, employee engagement and workforce initiatives and advised senior leadership on organizational performance and compliance. 

Peterson has also held senior human resources leadership roles with the U.S. Department of Labor, the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Defense, focusing on workforce strategy, leadership development, employee and labor relations, and organizational performance. 

Peterson earned a master’s degree in public administration from American University and a bachelor’s degree in English and public relations from Frostburg State University.

The Department of Human Resources supports employees through recruitment, hiring, benefits administration, employee relations and workforce development, ensuring Fairfax County can attract and retain a high-performing workforce.