Employee Profiles: Maggie Zaliponi, Sr. Prof Flight Nurse II & Bill Walls, Professional Flight Paramedic

1. Wanted to be a flight nurse since she was 6, after watching a 1976 episode of “Emergency” with a helicopter in it.
2. Was an Explorer with Lower Valley Ambulance at 14 years old, EMT at age 16 with West Deer EMS. She used to get out of school for ambulance calls.
3. Her high school senior bio stated “plans to go to nursing school and become a flight nurse “.
4. Went to West Penn Hospital Nursing school and started in the MICU right after graduation in 1991 and eventually transitioned to the Burn Trauma ICU.
5. While always working towards her goal of being a flight nurse and was ultimately hired at STAT MedEvac on May 23, 1995.
6. Bill Walls was her amazing preceptor 27 years ago and still remains a mentor and one of her very best friends.

Meet Bill Walls, Professional Flight Paramedic

Years of Service 29, MedEvac 1 Base

1.  Joined the Pleasant Hills FD at 18, and ambulance shortly after that. While attending California University for Business and Accounting, he attended paramedic school through CCAC and completed the Paramedic II class.
2. Started his air-medical career flying fixed-wing operations out of Florida. This opportunity lead him to Pittsburgh and his drive for progression brought him to employment as a flight paramedic at STAT MedEvac.
3. He began his career at STAT MedEvac 2 and then transferred to ME1 when it was based out of UPMC Mercy Hospital.
4. His 29th year was celebrated on May 3rd.
5. Spent 25 years also working in management within the bar/restaurant industry which lead him to meet all kinds of interesting and famous people.
6. His second home is Miami, Florida living the best life on the ocean and taking in all that South Florida has to offer (and dodging a few falling lizards along the way).