Honorable James Wurgler, MD
Founding Board Chair
2015–2019
In honor and gratitude ....
First and foremost, Jim was a healer...
a force for good
He was influential and humble
Responsible and accountable
Championed transparency and embraced partnership
Jim never met a stranger
and inspired us all
A friend, advisor and gentle servant-leader
His legacy and spirit thrive in healthier communities
By eliminating stigma,
Strenghtening prevention
Finding equity
And advancing wellbeing for those we serve.
James Wurgler served as Chair of the Board of Directors for The NARBHA Institute from 2015 through 2019 and was also an elected member of the Williams City Council. Dedicating his career to community service, health, and wellbeing, he served as President and Board member of the Sustainable Economic Development Initiative; Board member of the Grand Canyon Association; Board member of The Guidance Center; and member of the Northern Arizona Council of Governments Economic Development Committee, the Arizona Academy of Family Practice, Habitat for Humanity, and Arizona Clean and Beautiful. He demonstrated his ongoing commitment to the community from his Army service as a physician in Vietnam along with his decades-long leadership of the medical clinic at the Grand Canyon National Park and the Lewis Memorial Hospital in Yosemite National Park. As a licensed pilot, he also served as a consultant to NASA for Space Station Freedom. He practiced medicine for more than 44 years, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from Southern Methodist University and a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School.