Patient Logistics Coordinator Role in Healthcare Operations

David Emanuel is the CEO and Founder of VectorCare, a company he has led for over 14 years in the healthcare industry. He founded VectorCare after recognizing that patient logistics was being treated as a scheduling problem when it is actually an infrastructure problem. Under his leadership, VectorCare has grown to serve 2,500+ healthcare facilities and process millions of patient logistics transactions. He writes a weekly newsletter called 'The Dispatch,' sharing insights on how to move patients better - no sales pitches, just patterns, data, and questions worth your time. David's mission is to build infrastructure that supports the people doing the work of healthcare, believing that patient logistics is no longer a back-office function but foundational infrastructure.

Trevor Thompson serves as Vice President of Strategy at VectorCare, where he brings over 20 years of specialized experience in air medical transport, ambulance operations, and healthcare and patient logistics. His deep industry knowledge makes him an invaluable asset in shaping the company's strategic direction and expanding its nationwide reach. Trevor plays a key role in building partnerships and developing solutions that address the complex challenges healthcare providers face in coordinating patient transport across multiple levels of care. His extensive operational background allows him to bridge the gap between frontline healthcare realities and the innovative technology VectorCare delivers. Trevor is dedicated to helping healthcare facilities reduce delays, improve outcomes, and streamline their patient logistics workflows.

Craig Ruggels is VectorCare's Patient Logistics and Workflow Consultant, with over 15 years of experience in the service provider industry. He specializes in decreasing time on task, improving attention to detail, and educating clients about their workflow options to maximize efficiency. Craig has worked with some of California's most reputable healthcare organizations, including Kaiser Permanente, Sutter Health, and Dignity Health, giving him deep insight into the operational challenges facing hospitals and transport providers alike. His hands-on approach ensures that each client receives tailored guidance to optimize their patient logistics processes using VectorCare's platform. Craig is passionate about empowering healthcare teams to work smarter, reduce administrative burdens, and ultimately deliver better care to patients.

Paul Willard serves as a Board Member, bringing a wealth of expertise from a distinguished 14-year career as a senior product and marketing executive and CMO at leading technology, financial services, and health tech companies, including Coupons.com, Practice Fusion, Atlassian, and NextCard. He has also held partner roles at Storm Ventures and Subtraction Capital. Paul holds a Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering from Iowa State University, a Master's degree in Manufacturing Systems Engineering from Stanford University, and a Future Med Certificate from Singularity University. His rare combination of engineering rigor, marketing acumen, and health tech experience provides VectorCare's board with strategic guidance as the company continues to scale its technology platform and expand into new markets.

Lisa Maki is a Board Member at VectorCare and a seasoned serial entrepreneur currently managing strategic partnerships in Microsoft's Healthcare NEXT group. She co-founded PokitDok, a pioneering API platform for healthcare interoperability that was acquired by McKesson's Change Healthcare in 2018, and BeliefNetworks, a predictive analytics startup acquired by Benefitfocus in 2010. Her deep expertise in healthcare technology, interoperability, and entrepreneurship brings invaluable perspective to VectorCare's board as the company advances its integration capabilities, including its SMART on FHIR Epic EHR integration. Lisa holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Stanford University and is a recognized thought leader in the intersection of technology and healthcare innovation.

Ben Naftzger is an Advisor to VectorCare and the Managing Director of the Enterprise Fund. He spent 15 transformative years at Atlassian as the company's first business hire, heading Sales and Marketing channels and leading go-to-market and scaling operations that grew the company from $1 million to over $1 billion in revenue. His leadership spanned offices in Sydney, San Francisco, Amsterdam, and internationally, providing him with a uniquely global perspective on scaling high-growth technology businesses. Ben's proven track record of building and scaling enterprise-level operations makes him a vital strategic resource for VectorCare as it expands its footprint across the United States and internationally. His insights help guide the company's growth strategy and enterprise market development.

Andrew Barnett, MD, serves on VectorCare's Medical Advisory Board, bringing a distinguished clinical and administrative background to the company's healthcare mission. Board-certified in both family and emergency medicine, he is a full-time faculty member and strategic consultant at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) in Portland. Dr. Barnett has served as a medical officer in the United States Air Force and as Medical Director for Legacy Health and GoHealth Urgent Care, gaining broad experience across military, emergency, and community healthcare settings. He also led critical COVID-19 initiatives in Portland, Oregon. His clinical expertise and systems-level perspective provide VectorCare with essential medical insight as the company develops technology solutions that directly impact patient outcomes and care coordination.

Jack Lewin, MD, is a Medical Advisory Board Member at VectorCare and one of the most influential figures in American healthcare. He serves as Chairman of the National Coalition on Healthcare and previously held executive roles as President and CEO of the Cardiovascular Research Foundation and CEO of the American College of Cardiology. Dr. Lewin served as Hawaii's Director of Health from 1986 to 1994, overseeing 6,500 employees, 12 hospitals, and a billion-dollar budget. In 2011, he was named one of Modern Healthcare's 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare. He is also the founder of Lewin & Associates, a consulting firm specializing in launching health startups. His unmatched breadth of healthcare policy, clinical, and executive experience lends tremendous credibility and strategic depth to VectorCare's mission to transform patient logistics globally.