Tate, a native Arkansawyer, received a Bachelor of Science from Arkansas Tech University in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology and a Master of Science from Arkansas State University in Aquatic Ecology. Tate has spent the last two decades studying Arkansas aquatic ecology and water quality. He spent 11 years working to improve water quality as an Aquatic Ecologist Coordinator at the Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality where he supervised a staff of five to develop and implement water quality standards, specifically advancing numeric nutrient criteria and field-based conductivity criteria.

Tate then spent almost three years as a Stream Habitat Coordinator with Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. In the capacity, he used knowledge and skills regarding water quality to inform citizen scientists on its importance as well as assist landowners implement bank stabilization projects following Natural Channel Design techniques.

Since November 2021, Tate now manages the Water Quality Section of Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Division. In this capacity, Tate supervises a staff of six that work to implement Arkansas’s nonpoint source pollution program, Unpaved Roads Program, Nutrient Reduction Strategy, and the Wetland and Riparian Tax Credit Program.

Tate has also been involved with the Arkansas Stream Heritage Partnership (ASHP) since its inception in 2018. The ASHP is an aquatic connectivity team through the Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership that is focused on improving communication, inventoried barriers, and working to prioritize barriers effectively for aquatic organism passage. He recently took the helm of leading the ASHP and will be working with team members to advance the mission of 140 member consortium of state, federal, academic, and private partners.