Nate Wade is the executive director of strategic initiatives and innovation as well as an assistant research professor with the College of Health Solutions (CHS) at Arizona State University. With progressive leadership roles spanning more than 15 years in higher education at three R1 institutions, Wade has committed himself to the advancement of social outcomes as well as academic disciplines in STEM, health and health care. His portfolio includes multiple college-wide strategic initiatives and special projects related to student success, academic planning and project management. He enjoys fast-paced, high-energy environments that encourage creative solutions for real-world problems.
Wade is committed to student success, and he has facilitated increases in student enrollment, retention, and graduation outcomes, created innovative approaches to academic and pre-health advising, and built pre-college/pathway, bridge and residential college programs. Within the area of academic planning, Wade has increased undergraduate and graduate degree offerings, expanded programs to multiple campuses (including online), and used data to identify unmet market needs to inform program planning decisions. To accomplish his goals, he leverages his knowledge and expertise, bringing additional project management skills including strategic planning, quantitative data analysis, market research, website development, grant writing, marketing and communications, and relationship development with alumni and community partners.
He is dedicated to the health and well-being of the communities he serves and has extensive experience in disaster relief, emergency management, and student crisis management. Wade currently co-leads COVID-19 Initiatives for his college where he helped to organize and facilitate the ASU National COVID-19 Diagnostics Summit and the ASU Indigenous Health Summit. He received Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) training which prepared him to lead volunteer relief efforts following natural disasters including F-5 tornadoes and hurricanes. While working at Louisiana State University (LSU) during Hurricane Katrina, he was committed to helping displaced individuals alongside clinicians at the largest triage center and acute care field hospital in U.S. history. At the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Wade served as a member of the university-wide CARE Team which helped find solutions for students experiencing academic, social, and crisis situations including mental health concerns.
Wade values and commits himself to diversity, inclusion, and equity. Eight years ago, he co-founded the Summer Health Institute at ASU which is an introduction to health careers for high school students – many of whom are first-generation, come from low-income households, or are underrepresented or underserved. He also co-created two large-scale diversity programs while at UAB which were nominated for the UAB President’s Diversity Award. He served on the gender/equity subcommittee for the UAB Athletics Advisory Committee and also served on the Diversity Committee for LSU Housing. Currently, Wade serves on the Committee for Diversity and Inclusion for the Western Association for the Health Professions (WAAHP).