WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Indian Health Service (IHS) has announced the appointment of DuWayne Begay, a member of the Navajo Nation, as the Director for the IHS Navajo Area. Begay most recently served as Chief Operating Officer and Acting Deputy CEO of the Gallup Service Unit until 2022 and as the Area Executive Officer of the Navajo Area from 2022 to 2023. In his new position, he is responsible for ensuring the provision of comprehensive healthcare services to tribes in the Four Corners area, comprising portions of the states of Arizona, New Mexico, and southern Utah.
“We are extremely pleased to have DuWayne Begay step into this leadership role for the Navajo Area,” said IHS Director Roselyn Tso. “His many years of service to Indian Country and breadth of knowledge in operations will have a positive impact on our mission to raise the physical, mental, social, and spiritual health of American Indians and Alaska Natives to the highest level.”
Begay has more than 31 years of experience working with federal agencies, tribes, and local governments. He began his IHS career in 1992 serving in a number of acquisition positions that included procurement agent, business specialist and senior procurement specialist for the Navajo Area Division of Acquisition Management. Since that time, he has served in multiple leadership roles within the Navajo Region Bureau of Indian Affairs as a Supervisory Contract Specialist, Regional Budget Officer and Deputy Regional Director between 2014 and 2020.
“The Navajo Area IHS has a longstanding reputation of providing quality healthcare services to our patients,” said Begay. “I appreciate this great opportunity and look forward to continuing to serve our tribal and urban Indian communities.”
The Navajo Area delivers healthcare services to a user population of over 244,000 American Indians and Alaska Natives through five federal service units on and near the Navajo Nation. The Navajo Nation is one of the largest Indian reservations in the United States, consisting of more than 25,000 contiguous sq. mi. and three satellite communities.
