"This award recognizes a Capitol Hill staffer who exemplifies partnership in advancing public policy for people with disabilities. Thank you for your commitment to listening to the community, ensuring student safety, and improving lives. Your exemplary work in crafting policies that support individuals with disabilities and their families deserves this honor."

Peter Mills serves as Sen. Chris Murphy's Legislative Assistant covering disability, education, housing, LGBTQ, child care, and sports policy. In this role, Peter has helped Sen. Murphy advocate for people with disabilities by securing funding for programs within the DD Act and establishing a legislative agenda to end dangerous school discipline practices like seclusion, restraint, and corporal punishment that are disproportionately used on students with disabilities. Before serving in Sen. Murphy's office, Peter worked on education policy at the state and local level and taught 8th grade math in rural Arkansas. Peter has a BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an MPP from Duke University, but to be clear he is a born and bred Tar Heel.