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.

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.