Albuquerque, NM

Dr. John E. Ratmeyer graduated from the State University of New York College of Medicine in 1988. Then, in 1991, he completed his pediatric residency at the Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital at University Hospitals in Cleveland. In 1991, Dr. Ratmeyer was hired at the Gallup Indian Medical Center (GIMC) where he has devotedly served the people of Gallup and the Navajo Nation for the last 17 years. Dr. Ratmeyer has steadfastly defended the defenseless by using not only his remarkable medical skills but his honest, direct, and sincere people skills. He serves on numerous boards and, to the dismay of his wife, he never turns down an opportunity to train and educate citizens about preventing the abuse of children. He is also in demand as an expert witness in the area of child abuse and neglect in McKinley County District Court, Navajo Nation Family Court, and the U.S. District Courts.

During his years of service to pediatrics, Dr. Ratmeyer has enlisted numerous people to his causes. He has been serving on the Navajo Nation Foster Care Review Board since 1993 and is a medical consultant to the Child Protection Team at the Gallup Indian Hospital. He is a member of many professional groups that are dedicated to the prevention of child abuse, and he offers numerous training opportunities to groups and parents on gun safety, child abuse and balancing lifestyles. Most who attend his Child Protection Team seminars know that Dr. Ratmeyer will hold them accountable to ensure the safety and protection of the children he tirelessly serves. It is well known throughout the social service and law enforcement community that if a letter arrives in the mail with the GIMC logo, it is probably from Dr. Ratmeyer demanding answers about the kind of services or assistance a child has received and the status of the case.