My goal: Education has positively changed my life. I want to help all students have
quality career education.
My story: Born at Davis Monthan Air Force Base, son of an immigrant and the first
member of my family to graduate from college, I was a scholarship student at Stanford
(BA International Relations), Dartmouth (MD) and Harvard (MPH, Master of Public
Health). After receiving my medical degree and completing my internship in Tucson, I
volunteered to provide disaster relief and medical care for 40,000 refugees in drought,
war stricken Somalia. 
Pima JTED creation story: While on the Tanque Verde Unified School District
Governing Board, I learned that Pima County had only one year to start a JTED.
I attended the first Pima JTED organizing meeting with Steve Nash, the executive
director of the Pima County Medical Society and other members of the community. I
served on the campaign to persuade 11 school districts in Pima County to vote for JTED
and met with hundreds of voters at community events, HOAs, schools, rotary clubs and
senior groups.
Pima JTED was passed in the General Election of November 2006 in a “landslide” by
the residents of all 11 districts. I was elected the Founding Chair of Pima JTED at its first
official meeting. While I was chair, a governing board member asked me what JTED
was doing for special needs. This led to the launch of Project SEARCH, Pima JTED’s
career education for teens with special needs such as autism spectrum disorder or ASD.
Our campuses were all satellites (37 today) — on the campus of other high schools. We
asked our member superintendents to allow central campuses, but no takers. Having
served on the Tanque Verde Governing Board, I arranged a meeting with their
superintendent and the Pima JTED superintendent. This led to our first Central
Campus (now 5).
The idea of a health careers high school was launched at a meeting with myself,
Superintendent/CEO Kathy Prather, fellow board member Cindy Rankin, PhD and
University of Arizona president Robbins — the Mel and Enid Zuckerman Center for
Health and Medical Careers High School opened July 2024.
I served on the Rotary Club of Tucson Centennial Grant Committee, and Pima JTED
was awarded $450,000.00 in 2019.
Since 2007, Pima JTED has provided free public career and technical education for over
100,000 graduates with a 98% graduation rate and grown to 12,000 square miles in 3
counties: Pima, Santa Cruz, and Pinal.

Teaching

• Stanford University, Teaching Assistant Dr. Elizabeth Centers, Comparative Anatomy
• Community Health Worker (CHW) instructor, Somalia, Halba One and Two Refugee Camps
• Three decades at University of Arizona College of Medicine (Global Health and Rural Health), and Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health.
• CDC grant disaster preparedness training for 22 tribes in AZ and CA
• Pima JTED, volunteer instructor, pharmacy technician program
• Tucson Fire, Public Safety Academy
• Preceptor Nurse Practitioners, University of Arizona College of Nursing and Grand Canyon College

Employment/Certification

• Board certified American Board of Preventive Medicine, Occupational Medicine
  Certified Hospice Medical Director Certification Board.
• Magma Copper, San Manuel, Arizona. Underground copper miner – Chute Tapper and Blaster’s Assistant, Park Mall, Janitor, Stewarts Clothing Store, Electrician’s assistant, 22nd St Drive In — snack bar, ticket booth, cleanup
• Stanford University, Teaching Assistant Dr. Elizabeth Centers, Comparative anatomy
• University of Arizona, three decades: Associate professor at the University of Arizona, and founding faculty Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health where I was one of the college’s four division directors.
• Founder and past president of WellAmerica providing prevention, education, health care, counseling and research for public safety personnel from 23 agencies in Southern Arizona. In 2018 the Pima County Fire Chiefs initiated an annual award: “The Dr. Wayne Peate Health and Safety Award” — Wayne was the first recipient.
• Hospice physician.  Certified Hospice Medical Director.
• Medical consultant Arizona Medical Board.
• Firefighter Research: DNA methylation; MRSA (methicillin resistant staph aureus) prevention; and injury prevention.
• Military Service: 2007-2015. U.S. Army Reserve, Medical Corps, Lt Colonel. Honorable Discharge.

Honors/Volunteer Activities

• President, Harvard School of Public Health Alumni Association, while President I initiated the college’s first alumni supported scholarship program. When serving as class conciliar I put in motion a “matching” program that connected prospective students with alumni in their field of interest.
• Pima County Medical Society Volunteer of the Year award, 2011
• Recipient of “The Dr. Wayne Peate Health and Safety Award” 2018
• Eagle Scout and Dofflemyer Eagle Scout scholarship recipient at Stanford.
• Rotary Club of Tucson, Paul Harris Fellow.
• Annual Community Service Award, City of Tucson (firefighter injuries reduced 42% and lost time due to injuries decreased 62%).
• Co-founder and chair Tucson Ulster Project, peacemaking project aimed at teens from Northern Ireland to build mutual respect and understanding. Expanded beyond Catholics and Protestants to all religions (Tucson Interfaith Youth Together or TYIT).

Writing/Inspirational Speaking/Media:

• Multiple television and radio interviews; thirty articles, book chapters, scholarly presentations; and Gaslight Theater play.
• Books including: On the Serendipity Road; Listening with Your Heart; Native Healing: Four Sacred Paths to Health, Body, Mind and Spirit; “Vitamins” for Your Whole Health; On the Serendipity Road; Cumulative Trauma Disorders; Risk Managers Guide to Ergonomics; English-Somali Medical Phrasebook; and Firefighter Maintenance Manual.
• Keynote Speaker at RGANM annual conference, Albuquerque. August 17, 2024, 200 attendees.
• Graduation Speaker Tucson Fire Academy