Peter Austin brings more than 34 years of distinguished local government leadership experience to Public Administration Associates.
Peter recently retired after more than two decades as County Administrator for McHenry County, Illinois (population 316,000), an Aaa-rated organization with an annual budget exceeding $280 million and approximately 1,200 employees. During his tenure, he led complex organizational initiatives, strengthened fiscal stewardship, and advanced strategic collaboration across departments and jurisdictions.
Prior to his service in McHenry County, Peter served as Assistant County Administrator in Lake County, Illinois, and as the inaugural County Administrator in Kendall County, Illinois. He began his professional career with five years in municipal management with the Village of Western Springs, Illinois.
Throughout his career, Peter has focused on improving government efficiency, promoting intergovernmental cooperation, and strengthening professional management practices. His leadership has been recognized statewide and nationally, having served as President of both the Illinois Association of County Administrators and the National Association of County Administrators.
At Public Administration Associates, Peter supports executive search engagements and provides general consulting services to local governments, drawing on his extensive executive leadership and organizational experience.
