Peters is the first woman to lead Oregon's Department of Corrections, managing an agency with 4,700 employees, a biennial budget of $1.8 billion, and 14,700 incarcerated adults in 14 prisons. She has a national reputation for using data to improve outcomes for people in custody, increase agency efficiency and effectiveness, and promote staff wellness. Prior to her appointment in 2012, Peters ran the Oregon Youth Authority and served as a prison inspector general and victims' advocate.