Aaron Peters

Mr. Peters grew up in the small Athabascan village of Ruby on the Yukon River in the heart of Interior Alaska. His grandparents are the late Paul and Mary Peters of Ruby. His mother is Peggy Peters of Ruby. He siblings are Loretta, Veronica, Antanena, and Aaron. He feels very fortunate and lucky to have grown up in such a supportive and motivated family environment. “I feel blessed to have grown up in a village because it gives a person a different perspective on life. Growing up in the city has its advantages but growing up in a small Native village lets a person experience life in a way that most Americans do not experience. I cherish my childhood memories of Ruby.”

Upon graduation from High School, Aaron joined the Air Force where he was trained as a Police Officer. Aaron held a top secret clearance at one of the biggest nuclear storage facilities in the world in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Aaron credits the military for teaching him self discipline, control, responsibility, and worldly views. After leaving the military, Aaron worked for Alyeska Pipeline Service Company in Valdez, Alaska for one year.

He always knew he wanted to obtain a college degree and decided to enter the Biology Program at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) in fall of 2001. After two years in the biology program, Aaron decided to change his degree program to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. He has always been interested in helping people and the medical field seemed like the right path to take.

He volunteers and is involved with numerous Native events at UAA, in the Anchorage Native community, and the Doyon Region.

Aaron encourages all young people to step out of their box of comfort zone. “A good challenge is what all young people need. There are many exciting and rewarding opportunities for our young people. If you continuously stimulate the mind, body, and soul with healthy things, you’ll see the rewards that life has to offer. We make choices every minute of our lives; make sure those choices are for the best. Get out and expand your world, whether it is the military, college, technical school, or a job. Do it with confidence and perseverance. If you do, you will see it is not as scary as you thought it was.”