For more than four decades, Steve Emery has set the gold standard in Emergency Medical Services, with a career that spans from 1978 to 2024. His journey, which began with his EMT certification through the Lawrence Volunteer Fire Department, has actively shaped the landscape of EMS in Indiana.

Steve retired from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Fire Department in January 2024, marking the culmination of a career defined by professionalism and grace under pressure. During his tenure with Aid Ambulance, Rural Metro, and most recently Seals Ambulance, Steve became a mentor, guide, and a pillar of reliability for those around him. One early incident captures his dedication: despite his wife going into labor, Steve offered to continue his 24-hour shift until a replacement arrived, demonstrating an unshakable commitment to his team while still being present for his family when his child was born.

Since joining Seals Ambulance in 2014, Steve has fostered a culture of camaraderie and support. His approachability and willingness to assist have earned him the respect and admiration of his peers, making him a beloved figure in the EMS community.

Janiece Cox serves as the 911 Contract Manager for Superior Air-Ground Ambulance of Indiana, where she oversees five 911 contracts and manages a team of over 60 field employees. Janiece’s journey in EMS began in 2014, working as an EMT while attending Paramedic school in South Bend. Although she initially pursued a degree in Political Science and Health Care Support, her true calling emerged in emergency medical services. She earned her EMT certification in 2013, followed by her Paramedic license and a Paramedic Science degree in 2016.

Janiece is known for her unwavering commitment to patient care and professional growth. In 2021, she received the Life Saving Partner Award from the Comprehensive Stroke Center at Powers Health for quickly recognizing a non-obvious neurological event in a patient. She also earned her Critical Care certification, expanding her expertise in both pre-hospital and interfacility care.

Promoted to Indiana 911 Contract Manager in 2021, Janiece maintains a hands-on approach, continuing to work on ambulances to stay connected with the field. Her fire fighter certification, earned in 2023, not only strengthens her skills but also fosters better relationships with the departments and chiefs she collaborates with. Janiece is known for her problem-solving mindset and her belief that every challenge has a solution—you may just need to get creative to find it.

Beyond her work in Indiana, Janiece’s passion for humanitarian efforts took her to Mexico in 2023, where she volunteered with the Mexican Red Cross. In 2024, she joined a mission trip to Guatemala to teach neonatal resuscitation as part of the Helping Babies Breathe program.

A proud single mother of three—Kyle, Emelle, and Kaden—Janiece is also an avid world traveler, having visited 27 countries across five continents. Her motto, “Go big or don’t go at all,” reflects both her adventurous spirit and her dedication to her work.

Superior Ambulance of Indiana continues to thrive under Janiece’s leadership, benefiting from her deep commitment to her profession and her team.

John Basile, an Emergency Medical Technician, graduated from Indiana University Northwest in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, originally intending to join the fire service in Northwest Indiana. While pursuing his EMT-B certification as a prerequisite, John discovered his true passion lay in the medical field and soon after began his career at Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Indiana.

After several years of handling inter-facility transports, John transitioned to emergency medical services, where he has since dedicated himself to serving his community. His efforts extend beyond patient care—he regularly supports local festivals and school sporting events and has been involved in advocacy, meeting with politicians to lobby for critical EMS legislation in Indiana. As a Field Training Officer for the past eight years, John is known for his leadership, mentorship, and positive attitude, earning him the affectionate nickname of the “golden retriever” EMT among his peers.

Outside of work, John enjoys spending time with his wife, Melissa, their two pets, Smoke and Bandit, and his nephew Bentley. He hopes to instill in Bentley a love for community service and compassion for others, values that define John’s own life and career.

Matthew Kohl’s supervisors recognize him as an ultra-professional Paramedic who has rapidly risen through the ranks. In 2016, he was at the EMT level. He became AMR Evansville’s first-ever EMT-level Field Training Officer as that role had previously been reserved only for Paramedics. By 2020, he was graduating from Paramedic school, with a degree, in the middle of a pandemic, as the overall college Outstanding Graduate. Throughout his meteoric career, he has shown deft skill in trauma care, exemplified by his actions in January of this year.

Matthew responded to a scene where a nine-year-old child had been hit by a motor vehicle. The patient had multiple injuries and was in extreme pain. The scene time was only six minutes. Care during patient contact included spinal motion restriction, oxygen, IV access, and appropriate pediatric analgesia as well as patient monitoring. The time from dispatch to arrival at the Level II trauma center was 15 minutes.

Matthew’s patient care was lauded as “perfect” upon review by the trauma center, and the patient is recovering after multiple surgeries.

Jeffrey Wilken, CCEMT-P, Operations Manager for Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Indiana began his EMS career in 2010 as an EMT with a hospital-based county 911 service. During his time there, he earned his Paramedic certification in May of 2014.

After becoming a Paramedic, he set out to further his career and take advantage of better opportunities by taking a position on a 911 contract with Superior of Indiana. While working 911 was a special and rewarding experience, Jeffrey was looking to expand his knowledge of pre-hospital and inter-facility mobile healthcare.  He excelled in his Critical Care Paramedic program and added that certification to his list of accomplishments.  

 Jeffrey’s love for treating patients in the emergency setting as well as the critical care transport setting was extremely rewarding.  However, he still wanted to do more for both his patients and fellow EMS providers. 

“Jeffrey was the station manager for our Valparaiso station when I first met him.  He was loved by his fellow EMTs and paramedics, he was always available and a true employee advocate.  When I was looking for an Operations Manager, I was awe-struck by his compassion, skills, and outgoing personality and knew immediately he would be an asset to the leadership team,” wrote his nominator for Stars of Life.

In his role as Operations Manager, he has continued to sharpen his leadership skills by studying leadership strategies and attending lectures and conferences on the topic. His leadership style closely relates to the ideas of reality-based leadership and extreme ownership. Jeffrey is a graduate of the Ambulance Service Management course in Spring of 2022 and co-authored a research paper about the recruitment and retention of EMTs and Paramedics in our current culture titled Swipe Right to Apply.

Today, six station managers directly report to Jeffrey. He oversees 300 field employees in a diverse company with 911 contracts, inter-facility transfers, critical care services, industrial EMS, and an MIH program. 

Jeffrey attributes his affinity for leadership to his past experiences as a youth sports coach and his ability to connect with his peers through understanding and empathy.

He is married to the love of his life, Ashleigh, and is the proud father to Holden and Wade.  He is active in his community and his son’s school as well as coaching football. 

Superior Ambulance of Indiana is a better company because of Jeffrey’s daily leadership and dedication. 

Although Jeff Collins only joined Superior of Indiana just over a year ago, he has achieved so much in this relatively short time. Jeff brought 29 years of EMS experience and knowledge with him to Superior, and that, along with his enthusiasm and commitment, has added greatly to our service.

His wide-ranging experience has stood him in good stead over the past year, and Jeff has developed the Indiana Division by leaps and bounds. He has overseen the implementation of primary 911 service for five cities, including 10 ALS Ambulances and an Emergency Response Vehicle. On top of that, the number of EMTs and Paramedics has increased by 100 percent and the call volume by 80 percent.

Jeff has introduced great employee retention projects to keep our trained staff with Superior and implemented a critical incident stress management (CISM) program. He also launched a Service Excellence Award.

Jeff always takes the time to go out and meet with his employees and to listen to them and their concerns and suggestions.

We are grateful for Jeff’s dedication, leadership, expertise, and never-ending vision of where we can go to next.

Dale is a Paramedic Field Training Officer for the Three Rivers Ambulance Authority in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Several of his peers nominated Dale for his growth from EMT to Paramedic to Field Training Officer. They cite his professionalism, his dedication to providing the best care for each patient he treats, and his ability to train new employees and ensure they are successful.

A veteran Paramedic who recently started working at TRAA complemented Dale on his knowledge and training abilities, praising him for his patience and encouragement as he helped the Paramedic learn the ropes at TRAA and make a smooth transition.

Dale is also commended for always displaying a positive attitude at work and making the job enjoyable for everyone.

Chris began his career as a volunteer firefighter, where he assisted the ambulance crew. Chris quickly became engulfed in EMS, and proceeded to obtain his basic EMT certification. Chris excelled, and within a few short years, returned to school to earn his advanced EMT certification. Chris then began working for one of the largest EMS providers in Northeast Indiana.

Chris progressed quickly, and was selected as a member of the Disaster Relief team. Chris was deployed to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, where he assisted others in the face of total devastation.

As a field training officer, Chris mentors and guides new employees on a daily basis, instilling in them the same values he exemplifies.

Chris embodies the mission and values of Paramedics Plus, which include compassionate quality care and service. Chris has received numerous commendations from patients, family members, other organizations, and coworkers alike. Chris also volunteers his time with the Boy Scouts, church organizations, and explorer programs.

Chris exemplifies the vision of this organization through his commitment to going above and beyond to provide the best care possible for patients and families. Chris maintains a positive attitude and outlook, and consistently seeks ways to improve the organization, others, and himself. Chris is a true asset in the field of EMS.

Tom Nahrwold began his EMS career in 1976, arriving at Three Rivers Ambulance Authority (TRAA) in Fort Wayne, Indiana during December of 1987. He became a paramedic while working in an adjacent service, Huntington County Emergency Medical Services. Tom has encouraged, mentored and inspired more than 300 EMT and paramedic students and countless coworkers throughout his career; all-the-while remaining humble and never looking for self-gratification.

Tom always displays a positive attitude and executes excellence in customer service. Tom leads by example and is attentive to patient needs, as well as those of his coworkers, and is always offering an encouraging word or lending a helping hand. Tom has displayed acts of caring, commitment and dedication throughout his career, and he lives to work versus working to live.

Tom continues to be an able servant of sorts in his profession. Most of all, Tom has achieved senior status. Through years of education and practical experience, he has developed the knowledge to perform his duties and become an expert in his field of work, and thus has gained the wisdom that so many others in EMS do not or will not achieve.

As an able and experienced medic, Tom certainly fits the bill. He is a master clinician and motivator within the emergency medical services field. During his tenure with TRAA, Tom has worked in several capacities, including a field training officer, assistant supervisor, and educator. Tom possesses a natural ability to remain calm in difficult situations. He communicates with a reassuring voice while simultaneously providing compassion both when issuing directives to first responders, and also when speaking to his patients and their families. Tom Nahrwold was the indisputable choice for this honor as he represents what it is to be a Star of Life.