09/30/2025
Hey Aztec Wrestling Family!
Today's wrestler highlight is none other than RADM(ret.) Micheal D. Weahkee... Buckle up. He is one of the most outstanding people that Aztec Wrestling has produced!
Micheal is currently serving as the Deputy Director for Indian Health Services and has been serving in the position since January 2021.
EDUCATION:
• Master of Health Services Administration (MHSA) May 1998
Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
• Master of Business Administration (W.P. Carey MBA) May 1998
Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona - W. P. Carey School of Business
• Bachelor of Science in Health Care Management (BSc) August 1996
Southern Illinois University- Carbondale, Illinois
EMPLOYMENT & ACHIEVEMENT:
Director, Family and Community Health Services
California Rural Indian Health Board, Inc. (CRIHB)
Family and Community Health Services Department
Sacramento, CA Supervisor: Mr. James Crouch, MPH
(May 2001 – November 2007)
In addition to serving as the Director of the Family & Community Health Services Department, I also performed as the
CRIHB Deputy Director. This included the delegation to serve as the Acting Executive Director, in the absence of the
CRIHB Executive Director. I was responsible for the overall development, administration and supervision of the
Family and Community Health Services Department at CRIHB. The Department provides training and technical
assistance to Indian health clinics in California, in accordance with contract and grant requirements.
• Supervised department’s professional and support staff (17 employees)
• Developed and monitored various department budgets (~$9.2 million per year)
• Researched and developed funding opportunities for the department, prepare grant proposals
• Coordinated program linkages with federal, state and other service agencies
Grants Manager/Program Administrator, Phoenix Indian Medical Center (PIMC)
Centers of Excellence, Indian Health Service
Phoenix, AZ Supervisor: CAPT Charlton Wilson, MD
(September 1999 - April 2001)
• Supervised professional and support staff for 3 separate departments (10 staff).
• Developed and monitored various department budgets (~$3 million).
• Researched and developed funding opportunities. Prepared grant and contract proposals
• Coordinated program linkages with federal, state and other service agencies.
• Charged with the fiscal monitoring of 5 programs. In all, I successfully monitored approximately $3,000,000 of federal funds on an annual basis.
• Assigned as Project Officer for various tribal diabetes grant programs in the Phoenix Area. Represent the National IHS Grants Management Officer in providing necessary and appropriate technical assistance as well as continuous monitoring of the grantee's technical performance. Project Manager, Arizona Association of Community Health Centers (AACHC) Phoenix, AZ Supervisor: Mr. Andrew Rinde, MA
(April 1997 - July 1998)
Directed, Administered and Maintained the following programs:
• National Patient Satisfaction Survey Program marketed to and utilized by over 50 different health centers in
the United States.
• Financial Ratio Productivity Program for the Financial Officer's, enabled various health centers within
Arizona to compare financial ratios and other relevant indicators.
ACTIVE DUTY U.S. AIR FORCE ASSIGNMENTS:
Public Health Technician Ehrling Bergquist Hospital
JUL 93- AUG 96 Offutt AFB, Omaha, Nebraska
Public Health Technician (Overseas Duty) Operation Safe Haven
SEP 94- FEB 95 Panama City, Republic of Panama
Directed, Administered and Maintained the following programs:
• Hospital Employee Health Program for staff of over 900 healthcare workers.
• Blood and Body Fluid Exposure Control Program for hospital, fire and emergency personnel.
• Animal Bite/Rabies Prevention and Control Program for Base population of over 13,000.
• Tuberculosis Detection and Control Program for base population.
June 2025
PHS # 66910/EID # 2045303
RADM (ret) Michael D. Weahkee
5Weahkee, Michael D. June 2025
• Communicable Disease Control Program for base population.
• Food and Public Facility Inspection Program for over 200 base facilities (food, child care, health).
• Occupational Safety and Health Program for 9,000 base employees.
USPHS Awards
• Surgeon Generals Exemplary Svc Medal US Public Health Service 2020
• PHS Distinguished Service Medal US Public Health Service 2021
• PHS Officer in Charge Insignia US Public Health Service 2019
• PHS Field Medical Readiness Badge US Public Health Service 2018
• PHS Presidential Unit Citation US Public Health Service 2016, 2021
• PHS Outstanding Service Medal US Public Health Service 2008, 2011, 2017
• PHS Outstanding Unit Citation US Public Health Service 2018, 2021
• PHS Unit Commendation US Public Health Service 2008, 2011, 2022
• PHS Response Service Award US Public Health Service 2017
• PHS Special Assignment Award US Public Health Service 2008, 2006
• PHS Citation US Public Health Service 2004
• Commissioned Corps Training Ribbon US Public Health Service 2002
Other Awards
• COA Health Leader of the Year
• IHS National Director’s Award
Commissioned Officers Assn.
Indian Health Service
2021
2002, 2010, 2017
• Air Force Commendation US Air Force 1996
• Unit Commendation US Air Force 1996
• Good Conduct US Air Force 1996
• Air Force Achievement US Air Force 1995
• Humanitarian Service US Air Force 1995
• National Defense US Air Force 1993
• Air Force Basic Training US Air Force 1993
AZTEC WRESTLING ADDRESS:
I think that most people in this room would agree, that wrestling is the toughest sport that you can compete in at the high school and collegiate level. Wrestling is mankind’s oldest and most basic form of recreational combat, tracing its origins back to the dawn of civilization. Carvings and drawings estimated to be between 15,000-20,000 years old, found in caves
in southern Europe, illustrate wrestlers in various hold and leverage
positions. So this sport has been in existence for centuries.
Here at Aztec we have a long, proud history of excellence in the sport of wrestling, with decades of success marked by both individual and team state championships, hundreds of state placers and qualifiers, and leadership from coaches that have been inducted into the New Mexico Wrestling Hall of Fame, and coach-Herb Stinson, who has been inducted into both the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame, and the National High
School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame -- But success is not only measured by how our team, and we as individuals fare athletically, but also how we perform academically, civically, and how we succeed in life overall. Aztec wrestlers have graduated from high school and moved on to become CEOs and high level corporate executives, business owners and entrepreneurs, ministers and preachers, law enforcement officers, farmers and ranchers, and teachers and coaches of their own teams. The lessons that you have learned and the skills that you have developed from wrestling, will support you as you progress through the rest of your life…no
matter what path you decide to take.
So how did wrestling help to get me where I am today? As was identified by Coach Stinson during my introduction, I was a 3 rd place finisher at State, in my senior year back in 1988. If you look back at the State record books, 1988 was the year that we started the first of 10 undefeated seasons in a row (a record that still stands today), as well as the year that started the most team dual wins in a row (which ended at 92, which is also still the
State record). I was recognized with the team award for the 4-Ds to
Success: Desire, Dedication, Determination and Discipline. After
graduation, I had many stops along the way, an Associate Degree here at San Juan College, a Bachelors degree at Southern Illinois University, and two Master degrees at Arizona State University. I enlisted in the Air Force and served for four years as a Military Public Health Specialist with a deployment to Panama…and after college, I commissioned in the United States Public Health Service as a Hospital Administrator, where I have served for the past 24 years, in Arizona, California, South Dakota and Washington, DC. In 2017 I was asked by President Donald Trump to serve as the Director of the Indian Health Service, which required that I undergo a Senate Confirmation hearing. As the IHS Director I was charged with the responsibility to oversee a $7.5 billion dollar a year agency, that employs more than 15,000 team members who are doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other health care professionals, and who provide care for more than 2.1 million American Indians and Alaska Natives across the country.
