Commencement Speaker to Share Journey from Homelessness to Healthcare Leader

Being a high school basketball star in South Dakota and later living “homeless and hopeless” on the streets of San Francisco were part of Martin Waukazoo’s journey to becoming chief executive officer of the Native American Health Center (NAHC). Waukazoo will share his fascinating and inspiring story at Samuel Merritt University’s 2016 Commencement on May 27.

Waukazoo, a Lakota Sioux, took the helm of the NAHC in 1982 when the healthcare organization was in deep turmoil. At the time, 80 percent of the patients were Native Americans and many were struggling with diabetes, obesity, alcoholism, substance abuse, mental illness and violence.

Under Waukazoo’s leadership, the NAHC has addressed health disparities and loss of culture for American Indians living in the San Francisco Bay Area. Over the past 34 years, the community-based nonprofit healthcare organization has increased its annual budget from $800,000 to $23 million and its staff has grown from 17 to 300 employees.

Waukazoo attributes his success to two NAHC nurses who educated him about running a medical clinic. They met on Waukazoo’s first day at the center and continue to work closely today.

SMU family nurse practitoner students work at the NAHC in Oakland's Fruitvale District every Friday. Waukazoo says the partnership with the University has been beneficial for the clinic as well as the community. 

“The students understand what our clinic is all about — taking care of the physical problems of our patients as well as their emotional and spiritual needs,” he says.