Dr. Duane M. Wooten was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, the fourth of six children to HG and Georgia Wooten. From his early childhood, he had a passion to take care of children, declaring at the age 8 that he was going to be a pediatrician. He excelled academically, graduating with honors from Maryvale High School in West Phoenix. As an excellent student/athlete, excelling in basketball and football, Dr. Wooten was offered over 130 academic scholarships and 8 athletic scholarships.
Dr. Wooten attended Northwestern University where he majored in Chemical and Biomedical Engineering. He went on to complete his undergraduate training in three years and applied to 10 medical schools at the young age of 19! He was fortunate to be accepted to all medical schools and decided to attend the University of Arizona College of Medicine, becoming the first African American in 8 years at that institution, as well as the only 3rd African-American ever.
Dr. Wooten graduated as one of the youngest physicians in Arizona ever, and began his residency at the Phoenix Hospitals Affiliated Pediatric Program. After completion, he went on to complete a fellowship in pediatric critical care at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Phoenix before entering private practice.
Over the years, Dr. Wooten has won almost every kind of award imaginable, including the Thomas Dooley Medal-physician of the year in Maricopa County in 1998, scores of community service awards, as well as the highly touted Calvin C Goode-Martin Luther King, Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award given by the City of Phoenix in 2016.
Dr. Wooten serves on a multitude of medical committees and physician advisory boards, as well as having the honor of serving for years on such boards as the American Heart Association, Boys and Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix, and Big Brothers/Big Sisters of greater Phoenix. He is married to the honorable Tamika Wooten, ESQ and has two beautiful daughters.
In this panel, policymakers, governing board members, and community leaders we will engage in a dialogue to highlight education excellence in Arizona districts and schools. We will discuss how these outstanding schools and districts can serve as role models to help elevate equitable education excellence throughout Arizona