CareFlite's Advisory Council
Strategic partners within our coverage area have joined us to help us better serve our community by providing feedback and working closely with CareFlite to improve customer service and patient care; we have named this committee CareFlite's Advisory Council.
Patrick Cobb
Hamilton County Hospital District
Director of EMS.
Kevin Cunningham
Midlothian Fire Department
Kevin Cunningham is the EMS Chief at Midlothian Fire Department. Kevin has been in EMS for 38 years and served in the fire service for 34 years. Kevin spent over 30 years with the Cedar Hill Fire Department, where he retired at the rank of Division Chief over EMS. Retirement was short, and he immediately went to work for Midlothian. During his career, Kevin has flown as a flight medic for CareFlite and has served as an instructor for various paramedic and EMT classes. He is passionate about all aspects of EMS and is active at the state and federal level. He currently serves on the Governors Emergency Trauma Advisory Council (GETAC) and has served on numerous other committees in the past. He has had the honor of lecturing not only at the local and state level but also at the national level. Kevin is married to Sarah, who is a pediatric sexual assault nurse at Cook Children’s, and has two sons, Jeff and Jayden.
Kenny Rogers
Lake Granbury Medical Center
Kenny has over 43 years serving as a Paramedic/Firefighter, RN, in Emergency services. His life goal in my career is to always do what’s right for our patients and hold each other up when times are hardest and pass along the lessons learned for the road. First recipient of the Emergency Department Clinical Practice Nurse of the year, Washington University School of Emergency Medicine Physicians Emergency Nurses Association St. Louis Chapter Clinical Practice Nurse of the year Co Author of Barnes Jewish Hospitals: BJC Emergency Department Nursing Survival Guide. Served as a Board Member Alaska ENA. Relocated to Texas from Alaska 5 years ago. Kenny is currently the Trauma and Emergency Management Coordinator as well as the EMS Liaison at Lake Granbury Medical Center in Granbury, Texas.
Richard Brooks
Program Manager, EMS Outreach Texas Health Resources
Richard Brooks is an accomplished Program Manager specializing in EMS Outreach with over 15 years of experience in healthcare and emergency services. Currently serving at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital, Richard has spent the past five years fostering meaningful relationships that have directly contributed to increased service volumes and improved care delivery across the region. Prior to his current role, Richard dedicated a decade to MedStar Mobile Healthcare, beginning as a paramedic and rising through the ranks to Operations Supervisor and ultimately Customer Integration Manager. These roles honed his expertise in relationship building and process improvement, skills he continues to leverage in his leadership today. Richard holds a Bachelor of Science degree and an MBA from Tarleton State University. Passionate about advancing regional care through collaboration, he is committed to bridging gaps and driving innovation in healthcare. When not at work, Richard enjoys spending time with his four-month-old daughter and pursuing his interests in aviation. His blend of professional dedication and personal enthusiasm ensures he brings a dynamic and impactful approach to every endeavor.
Karen Yates
Methodist Hospital of Mansfield
Karen Yates is a Nursing Clinical Coordinator at Methodist Mansfield Medical Center. In this role she serves as the Chest Pain Coordinator and EMS Liaison. She has led the hospital to successful accreditation from The Joint Commission as a Primary Heart Attack Center. Karen is a second term member of the Governors Advisory Council Cardiac Committee and serves as a Chair-Elect on the Cardiac Committee of the North Central Texas Regional Advisory Council (NCTTRAC). This committee facilitates cardiac care, EMS transport guidelines, public education, and quality improvement initiatives for a nineteen county region. Karen is also active with American Heart Associations Mission Life Line North Texas. Karen has over thirty five years of experience in pre-hospital and hospital management of the acutely ill and injured patient. She has worked as a ground and fixed wing transport paramedic. Her nursing background includes ICU, ED, and trauma Medical/Surgical. Karen has worked for Methodist Health System for thirty four years, working in positions such as ED Nurse Manager, ED Educator, EMS Manager, and staff nurse. Karen has extensive teaching experience. She holds instructor credentials in numerous nursing and EMS courses. Karen has coordinated numerous programs and courses including EMT and Paramedic training, as well as nursing and EMS conferences. She is a much sought after speaker at trauma, cardiac, emergency nurses, and EMS conferences. In addition to her work for Methodist Health System Karen also owns and operates a continuing education company. She specializes in continuing education for EMS providers. She is also active as a volunteer with the Dallas Area Crisis Response Team, First Responder Resiliency Program and Mental Health for Heroes.
Vickey Thompson
Baylor Scott & White
MSN, MBA, RN, CEN
Vickey has been a nurse for over 23 years holding various roles in emergency services, trauma services, and nursing education including bedside nurse, charge nurse, professional education specialist, associate unit manager and trauma program manager and regional director. She has earned her MBA, MSN, and is currently a DNP student. She has thirst for knowledge, and life experiences have led her to continually pursue certifications, professional memberships, and leadership roles. She is a lifetime member of the Emergency Nurses' Association, member of American Trauma Society and is a Certified Emergency Nurse. Vickey enjoys teaching and is a course director for the Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC) and instructor for the Emergency Nursing Pediatric Course (ENPC) and Stop the Bleed Course. In service to the community, Vickey is an associate member of a women's philanthropic group, Aspasians, whose mission is to provide scholarships for high school students in Rockwall County. Additionally, she is a lifetime sustainer member of the National Charity League, whose mission is to foster mother-daughter relationships and is committed to community service, leadership development and cultural experiences. Vickey loves to spend time with her family, which includes her husband and two adult daughters. They enjoy being out on the lake and creating memories with friends. Faith, family, and friends are the drivers of truly finding joy in life, which Vickey and her family are continually in pursuit of.