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MAT pilots in flight
A New Millenium
Things changed in 2002. Wings of Hope had primarily conducted missions internationally, with a few supporting American Indians in the States. However, after a criti- cal patient in Missouri suffering a severed leg from a boating accident needed emergency transport, Wings of Hope answered the call to assist. MAT was born. MAT, or Medical Re- lief & Air Transport, hangars two donated Piper Seneca IIIs (N8456H, N8048Q) along with a 1975 Piper Navajo (N61490). Angela Walleman, MAT’s director, says, “Along with Rashonda Clark, our flight opera- tions manager, we manage 16 pilots and 8 medics, mostly retired doctors and registered nurses. In April 2023, we have 21 missions scheduled -- in addition to the 40 missions completed in the first quarter of 2023.” She went on to describe the staff. “We have 18 staff members including two full- time A&P mechanics, one part-time A&P, and an avionics manager. With such a small staff, Wings of Hope re- lies heavily on our 260 volunteers. We simply could not operate without the help of these dedicated individuals.” Walleman holds two master’s degrees from Lindenwood University and is a veteran of nonprofit leadership and has been with Wings of Hope for 8 years.
MAT helps people all over the country get to places like Houston’s MD Anderson cancer treatment cen- ter, Shriners in St. Louis for pediatric orthopedic care, and the Mayo Clinic
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boprop, we would certainly expand our operations to open up the area west of the Rockies.”
A Global Footprint
Tiffany Nelson, Wings of Hope Di- rector of Programs and Evaluation, oversees the Global Humanitarian Network for the organization and its educational programming. She started 4 years ago as the Global Pro- grams Manager and quickly ascended the ranks to her current position. Born in St. Louis, Nelson attended Mizzou and completed bachelor’s degrees in business and Spanish.
Pilot, Fernando, waits for Alas de Socorro team in the Ecuadorian Amazon
in Rochester, MN for brain tumors and cancers. If someone needs trans- port, Wings of Hope is ready to help. Walleman explained, “We’re not an air ambulance operation; we provide comfort care.” MAT gets referrals from doctors and direct requests from patients. The only restriction is keep- ing their U.S. operations east of the Rockies. Walleman says, “If someone out there would like to donate a tur-
After working with the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic, training teachers and soliciting an aqueduct, she earned double master’s degrees in Sustainable International Develop- ment and Women’s Gender & Sexual- ity at The Heller School at Brandeis University in Boston.
The global network Nelson oversees is extensive and varied.