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Famous Family Honored At UHS

    Umatilla High School inducted two prominent alumni into its school hall of fame Friday evening, just before kickoff of Umatilla’s football game against Father Lopez. In a scene not likely to be repeated, the ceremony featured a woman who had been nominated for U.S. Surgeon General, a woman who has served as Deputy Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Resilience, and a husband who is the current U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
    Umatilla High School’s Legacy Hall recognizes alumni who have made significant contributions to the world since graduating from UHS, and sisters Julia (1993) and Janette (1994) Nesheiwat have had careers that meet the standard.  Both were joined by family for Friday’s ceremony and presented recognition of their achievements by current UHS senior class officers and principal Brent Frazier.
    The Nesheiwats are among a group of five siblings raised in Umatilla within a few blocks of Umatilla High.  Raised by their mother, Hayat, after their father died in an accidental home shooting, the children went on to broad-ranging successes.
    Two were honored for their achievements, as described by biographical information released by UHS this week:
    Dr. Julia Nesheiwat:  Class of 1993, is a U.S. Army veteran, Bronze Star recipient, and a national security and energy policy expert.  She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Stetson University, a Master’s from Georgetown University, and a Ph.D. from the Tokyo Institute of Technology. Her distinguished public service career spans four presidential administrations, focusing on homeland security, energy resilience, and international diplomacy. Dr. Nesheiwat served as Deputy Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Resilience from 2020 to 2021, and previously held senior roles at the U.S. State Department and in the intelligence community. Today, she continues her commitment to global leadership as the spouse of the current U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Michael Waltz. She now lives in Florida and continues to advocate for veterans, women in leadership, and American global engagement.
    Dr. Janette Nesheiwat:  Class of 1994, is a board-certified physician in Family Medicine and a nationally recognized medical commentator.  She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of South Florida and her medical degree from the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, followed by a residency in Family Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.  Since 2018, she has served as a medical contributor for Fox News, offering trusted guidance on pressing health issues such as COVID-19, vaccines, and national health policy. In 2025, she was nominated for U.S. Surgeon General, with a platform focused on chronic disease, mental health and fighting the opioid crisis.  Dr. Nesheiwat is the author of Beyond the Stethoscope: Miracles in Medicine (2024), host of Family Health Today, and a compassionate caregiver who has served on the front lines at CityMD , serving underprivileged communities, and is Chair of the Make American Fentanyl Free Campaign.
    Born in Carmel, New York and raised in Umatilla, she is one of five children of Jordanian immigrants.