Diné College School of Diné Studies and Education Welcomes New Dean
10th Jan 2025
Tsaile, Ariz. -My English name is David Peter Nez. I am of the Mą’ii Deeshgiizhnii clan born for Tódíchíi’nii. My maternal grandfather is Honágháahnii and paternal grandfather is Kinyaa’áanii.
I was raised in a dirt floor hooghan without indoor plumbing nor electrification and slept on sheepskins as bedding. These life experiences made me who I am today. My personhood shaped by experiences of hardship and labor providing motivation to try harder than the next person.
I enlisted for military service soon after graduation from Many Farms High School although on the normative people were going for higher education. I served 6 years active duty in the U.S. Army and 16 years as citizen soldier in the U.S. Army Reserve and gained the rank of Staff Sergeant.
Upon returning to Navajo country in August of 1980, I enrolled at Navajo Community College to learn a civilian trade because the military only taught me war tactics and military leadership.
I transferred to University of New Mexico to complete my requirement for Bachelor of Arts degree in 1987. With this college degree in hand, I was hired by the Navajo Nation government as a Management Analyst and made a career in the field of management and leadership retiring early in 2014.
In the Fall of 2016, I was accepted to graduate school at the Navajo Technical University to study Navajo culture, language, and leadership. I graduated in 2018 with a Master Degree. During and after my graduate school, I taught the 200 to 400 level courses related to culture and leadership as an adjunct faculty.
January 2022, I was hired as full-time faculty for Diné College teaching Navajo Nation Leadership Certificate program courses along with some general education courses related to Navajo history, governance, and leadership. July 2024, I was tapped to be the Interim Dean for the School of Diné Studies and Education which at this time became permanent.
I now call Tohatchi, New Mexico home as I married into this community 40 plus years ago. My wife and I born two daughters and one son. We are both retired and taking care of livestock and land on behalf of our growing children whom will eventually occupy this territory.
