ASSOCIATION OF AIR MEDICAL SERVICES

Leading and Serving Transport Medicine

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 28, 2026 

Alexandria, VA — The Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) is proud to announce the nominees for the 2026 40 Under 40: Rising Leaders in Air Medical Transport Awards, recognizing emerging leaders who are making exceptional contributions across the medical transport industry. The program celebrates individuals under the age of 40 whose leadership, innovation, and dedication are helping shape the future of patient care, safety, operations, communications, advocacy and beyond.

Winners will be announced in early October and recognized at AMTC26 in Fort Worth, Texas.

2026 40 Under 40 Nominees

• Christopher Adams, MBA, BSN, RN, NRP, FP-C, CMTE, Program Director PHI Health, LLC
• Naif Alkuraydili, CMTE, Operation Manager, Alpha Star Aviation Services
• Bader Almotairi, EMBA, Air Ambulance Training and Development Manager, Alpha Star Aviation Services
• Aseel Alorifi, BSc, CCP-C, FP-C, PNCCT, PMP, Air-Medical Operation Supervisor, Alpha Star Aviation Services
• Christopher Amendola, M.P.A, BSN, NRP, RN, FP-C, Pediatric Critical Care Transport Provider, Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital/Northeast Pediatric Transport Collaborative
• Jay Ashworth, MBA, BSN, RN, CEN, Regional Manager of Clinical Operations, Global Medical Response
• Emily Baker, BS, EMT-B, CMTE, Director of Operations, FlightBridgeED
• Andrew Basile, RN, CFRN, CMTE, Regional Medical Manager, STAT MedEvac
• Matthew Benson, MSN, MBA, CFRN, Area Manager, Air Methods
• Brittney Bernardoni, MD, FACEP, DipRTM (RCSEd), Associate Medical Director Quality, UW Health Med Flight
• Timothy Boardman, MD, MBA, FACEP, FAEMS, Medical Director, UMass Memorial Life Flight
• Jake Boogaerts, Production Program Manager, Metro Aviation, Inc.
• Sierra Borges, CFI/CFII, Communications Center Manager, Life Flight Network
• Austin Brook, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CFRN, NE-BC, Regional Clinical Director, Air Methods
• Brady Carpenter, Director of Safety, Metro Aviation, Inc.
• Billy Casey, RN/NRP, Regional Director, Global Medical Response - Health Systems
• Cody Chavis, MSN, RN, CFRN, FP-C, C-NPT, Program Director, Cape Fear Valley Health LifeLINK AIR
• Emersen Cislo, A&P FAA Rated Mechanic, Aircraft Mechanic II, Life Flight Network, LLC
• Michael Cohen, BS, FP-C, NRP, Clinical Services Manager, Trans Aero Medevac
• Jason Cooper, EMD, OUTEC, Flight Coordination Supervisor, AirEvac International
• Kindra Dalton, MSN-Ed, RN, CEN, CFRN, Education Coordinator, Guardian Air Transport
• Dana de la Campa, MSN, RN, CCRN, CFRN, CEN, LCDR, United States Navy, Joint Trauma System
• Joseph De Siervo, BSN, RN, CCRN, CFRN, MICP, Flight Nurse, Hackensack Meridian Health
• Jeremy Desotell, CMTE, MTSP-C, Director of Operations, Flight For Life Inc
• Jorden Dick, OMS-III, NRP, FP-C, Student Physician & Flight Paramedic, Rocky Vista University & Air Methods
• Katelyn Dykas, BSN, RN, EMT-P, IC, CCRN, CFRN, Flight Nurse Specialist, Michigan Medicine Survival Flight
• Stefan Erdmann, Bachelor of Science in Engineering, FAA & EASA Commercial RW Pilot, FAA CFII, Pilot Records & Aviation Training Technology Supervisor, Life Flight Network
• Nicole Ferrarella, FP-C, NRP, MICP, EMS Coordinator - Clinical Division Chief, University Hospital EMS/JEMSTAR Air Medical Services
• Joel Fisher, A&P, Regional Maintenance Manager, Metro Aviation
• Morgan Flugrad, Communication Center Manager, Life Flight Network
• Sophie Fuller, NREMT-P, CC-PM, Critical Care Paramedic, Global Medical Response 
• Brad Goch, CMTE, FP-C, North Region Manager, Flight For Life
• Jared Gore, FP-C, MTSP-C, NRP, MCCP, Senior Safety Manager, HealthNet Aeromedical Services
• Christian Greengrass, BSN, RN, NRP, CCRN, CFRN, CTRN, FP-C, CMTE, Flight Nurse, Memorial Hermann Life Flight
• Matthew Grit, MSN, APRN-NP, CPNP-AC, Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Critical Care Transport, Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital
• John Hamilton, LP, FP-C, Flight Paramedic, CareFlite
• Natalie Hannah, MS, Public Relations Manager, Life Flight Network
• Adam Hart, MPA, NRP, FP-C, Critical Care Flight Paramedic, DHART
• Christine Hedler, RN, BSN, FP-C, Clinical Manager and Flight Nurse, Life Flight Network
• Kasey Hintz, BSN, RN, CFRN, Regional Clinical Manager, Life Link III
• Rex Jacobsen, MBA, FP-C, Base Operations Manager, Flight Paramedic, Intermountain Flight and Ambulance Services
• Ryan Kahn, A&P, Director of Aviation Maintenance, Life Flight Network
• Aaron Kinder, Assistant Chief Pilot, Life Link III
• John Kuchma, NREMT, R. EEG T., CMTE, CAC, EMS Communications Manager, UPMC Center for Emergency Medicine / STAT MedEvac
• Luke Lamar, RN, CFRN, FP-C. Flight Nurse/Paramedic, PHI Air Medical
• Jerry Lingefelt III, CPL-H, PPL-A/IR, Aviation Site Manager/Helicopter Pilot, Metro Aviation
• Hollie Lobo, FP-C, Base Manager, Flight Paramedic, Meducare Air
• Jon Lovejoy, Assistant Chief Pilot, Life Link III
• Nicholas Ludwig, MSA, ATP, CFII - Gold Seal, Director of Business Operations, Intermountain Health Flight and Ambulance Services
• Courtney Maness, RN, BSN, CFRN, Flight Nurse, MTC 260-Hospital Wing 6
• Alaina Martini, MSN, RN, CCRN, PHRN, CFRN, Flight Nurse, AHN LifeFlight
• Travis Mason, CMTE, MBA, NRP, Director, Air Methods
• Brandon Mayo, BSN, RN, CFRN, Clinical Base Manager, Flight Nurse, Lifeflight of Maine
• Jaclyn McKinley, RN, BSN, CCRN, C-NPT, EMT-B, Neonatal/Pediatric Flight Nurse, CNIV, UNC Health Carolina Air Care
• Dan McLeod, BA, FP-C, NRP, Regional Manager of Clinical Operations, Global Medical Response
• Cody Mefferd, MSN, RN, CFRN, CPEN, CEN, AEMT, Flight Supervisor, UnityPoint LifeGuard Air Ambulance
• Collette Merriott, BSN, RN, CCRN, CEN, CFRN, EMT-P, Flight Nurse, Corewell Health Aero Med
• William Moser, BSHA, NRP, FP-C, Regional Manager of Clinical Operations, Global Medical Response
• Eric Newton, CFC, Communications Specialist, Boston MedFlight
• Tonay Nowak, CAC, CPC, Revenue Cycle Auditor, Life Flight Network
• Antonio Ottaviani, BAAS, NREMT-P, FP-C, CMTE, Paramedic | National Commander, New Castle County Paramedics | United National Honor Guard
• Kayla Parmentier, MSN, RN, C-NPT, NEA-BC, Patient Care Manager-Critical Care Transport Team, St. Louis Children's Hospital
• Kody Patterson, NRP, FP-C, CCP-C, C-NPT, Flight Paramedic, MedCenter Air
• Cassie Paulsen, FP-C, Regional Clinical Manager of Operations, Global Medical Response
• Marcus Redfield, Sr. Manager Aviation Communications, Air Evac Lifeteam
• David Reif, MSN, RN, CFRN, NR-P, Senior Flight Nurse, Airlife Northwest
• Maggie Ross, CCM, Communication Center Manager, Life Link III
• Gina Scharf, MSN, RN, Air Medical Manager, HCA
• Lisa Scott, MSN, RN, CEN, CFRN, Supervisor/Flight Nurse, Nightingale Regional Air Ambulance
• Kay Selby, CFRN, CEN, Flight Nurse, Airlift NorthWest
• Matthew Slatzer, ATP, Check Airman, STAT MedEvac
• James Smith, RN-BSN, CFRN, CCRN, Clinical Educator II, Global Medical Response
• Kate Spice, RN, CEN, CFRN, Clinical Systems Manager, Life Link III
• John Spratlin, RN, CFRN, NRP, FP-C, Clinical Educator, Global Medical Response
• Mike Steckevicz, MBA BSN CFRN FP-C C-NPT CMTE, Clinical Operations Manager, Boston MedFlight
• Jonathan Summey, BSRT, NRP, FP-C, RRT-ACCS, RRT-NPS, C-NPT, Clinical Educator, Medhealth Partners
• Mitchell Tillman, MS, FP-C, Clinical Simulation Manager, Life Flight Network
• Michael Tomasetti, MSN, RN, NE-BC, Associate Clinical Director of Capacity Management, Penn Medicine
• Rebecca Travis, BSN, RN, CFRN, Clinical Educator, Global Medical Response
• Christopher Warren, NRP, FP-C, CCP-C, FAOM, Critical Care Flight Paramedic, PHI Air Medical
• Alex Watson, MTSP-C, Aviation Manager, Advocate Health
• Justin Whitfield, NRP, FPC, Flight Paramedic/Base Supervisor, UNC Carolina Air Care
• Alec Wilcox, MPH, NRP, FP-C, E-AEC, CES-A, C-NPT, Mobile ECMO Educator/ Flight Paramedic, University of Minnesota/ Life Link III
• Dustin Wingate, BSN, RN, CCRN, CFRN, EMT-B, Critical Care Transport Nurse, Duke Life Flight/Duke Health
• JaKayla Wininger, BSN, RN, CCRN, CFRN, TCRN, NRP, Air Medical Base Supervisor, PHI Air Medical
• Melissa Wnorowski, CPL CFII, Senior Lead Pilot, Air Methods
• Jessica Yelverton, DNP, NNP-BC, C-NPT, Assistant Director, Children’s Advanced Practice, ECU Health
• Nick Zamorano, EMD-Q, CFC, MBA, Director of Communications, CareFlite

"The future of our industry is in exceptionally capable hands," said Jana Williams, President and CEO of AAMS. "These nominees have demonstrated remarkable leadership, innovation, and service early in their careers. Their impact extends beyond their individual organizations and helps strengthen and advance the medical transport profession as a whole."

AAMS thanks Life Flight Network, for their sponsorship of the 2026 40 Under 40: Rising Leaders in Air Medical Transport Awards and their commitment to celebrating the professionals driving our industry forward.

For more information about the 40 Under 40 Awards, please visit https://aams.org/40under40. 

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Established in 1980, the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) is an international trade association headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area. AAMS is a non-profit 501C (6) trade association that represents and advocates on behalf of the critical care transport industry to enhance their ability to deliver quality, safe, and effective medical care and medical transportation for every patient in-need.