Metro Health Corp.

The Life Flight staff consists of more than 100 full and part-time staff, under the direction of the Medical Director Charles J. Yowler MD, FACS, FCCM, and Critical Care Operations Director Charlene Mancuso, RN, MPA, CEN. Flight Physicians John Pakiela, DO, FACOEP, heads the flight physician component of the program. All of the physicians have Critical Care backgrounds and have been primarily trained in the fields of Emergency Medicine or Surgery. They are certified in Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS). The physician component brings to the program the advanced knowledge and skill required to effectively treat the critically ill or injured patient. Flight Nurse Specialists Chief Flight Nurse Marek Owca RN, BSN, CFRN, EMT-B leads the team of 17 full-time flight nurses, all of whom have a minimum of five years critical care/emergency department experience. All flight nurses have successfully completed programs in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) and Neonatal Advanced Life Support (NALS), and are certified Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) or Paramedics (EMT-Ps). In addition, they partake in ongoing competency training, including Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS), along with advanced surgical skills and airways labs. Pilots Metro Life Flight's 25 full-time pilots are all Instrument Flight Rated (IFR) and Global Positioning System (GPS)-trained. Two pilots are on board every Metro Life Flight mission, ensuring the highest level of safety for each air medical transport. In charge of the pilots is Lead Pilot Captain Jack Alexander who was honored by the Helicopter Association International with the Agusta Community Service Award in 2004.

Dr. Kornoelje is a board certified family medicine physician and sports medicine specialist, providing care to patients of all ages. He graduated from Calvin College and earned his medical degree from Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. As a family practice physician, he completed his sports medicine fellowship at Metro Health Hospital. Dr. Kornoelje is the team physician for the Grand Rapids Griffins, Grand Rapids Rampage, West Michigan Whitecaps, Aquinas College and Calvin College. He also works with numerous area high schools. Dr. Kornoelje serves as medical director for the Metro Health Grand Rapids Marathon and Reed's Lake Triathlon, as well as other community events. He also enjoys running and playing and coaching soccer.

John Appeldorn has been employed at MetroHealth since 1987. He currently serves as the Director, Logistics/ Environmental Safety for the MetroHealth System. John recently received his MBA at Baldwin Wallace College. He graduated college with a B.A. from Borromeo Seminary College. He holds numerous certificates in Safety, Chemistry, Hazardous Materials and Environmental Air Quality. He has been married to his wife Sandy for 17 years and he has two children, Johnny and Samantha.