Kayla Welwood Selected as the 2023-24 Recipient of the Jack Stout EMS Fellowship for Leadership Development

PLATTE CITY, MO — Kayla Welwood, Manager of Low Acuity and Integrated Care with the Clinical Hub, at the British Columbia (Canada) Emergency Health Services (BCEHS), has been named the 2023-24 recipient of the Jack Stout EMS Fellowship. Endowed by FirstWatch, the fellowship was created in collaboration with the Fitch EMS Foundation. The Fellowship is named in honor of the late Jack Stout, widely regarded as the father of high-performance EMS systems. It aims to provide a platform for chosen individuals to acquire knowledge of Stout's principles: people-centered leadership, data-driven decision-making, impactful quality improvement, and holistic system-wide thinking.

I’ve read about Jack Stout and his amazing career. It’s a real honor and such an exciting opportunity to be named a Jack Stout Fellow.” Welwood said. “I’m looking forward to gaining experience and being exposed to new ways of thinking.”

She was a paramedic with the service for several years before moving into management.  She said she was drawn to the profession and its mission to serve others at an early age. “It coincides with my personality,” she said. “I love being a part of something bigger that can make a difference.” Welwood is currently pursuing a master’s degree in organizational leadership.

BC Emergency Health Service Serves a Diverse Population

As Canada's first provincially-operated ambulance service, BC Emergency Health Services provides emergency out-of-hospital care to approximately five million individuals across 365,000 square miles.  It is the largest provider of emergency health care in Canada and one of the largest in North America. Situated as the westernmost province of Canada, British Columbia encompasses diverse landscapes, including mountains, miles of coastline, and both rural and urban environments. A part of Canada’s national health service, BC EMS has a workforce of nearly 5,000 dispatchers, emergency medical call-takers, secondary triage clinicians, community paramedics, front-line paramedics, administrators, and managers.

Through three dispatch centers and paramedic services, expert patient care is delivered from the moment a 9-1-1 call for medical help is received, to treatment at the scene, with potential transport to the hospital. 

Todd Stout, the son of Jack Stout and founder of FirstWatch, said his father's impact as an EMS pioneer and mentor resonates deeply with many. “We had more than 40 highly qualified nominations,” Stout said, “and we’re so happy for Kayla as my Dad’s legacy carries on.”

Jack Stout Fellows attend the Pinnacle EMS Leadership Forum and either the Fitch Ambulance Service Manager (ASM) program or the Communication Center Manager (CCM) program with all expenses covered by FirstWatch. The Fellowship is customized to each winner, with a curriculum designed to meet his or her specific interests and needs. This includes selecting mentors with specific expertise from the FirstWatch leadership team and from across the industry.

Nominations for the 2024 - 2025 Fellowship will be open from March 1 through May 1, 2024. For more information and to apply, go to FitchEMSFoundation.org and select the Jack Stout EMS Fellowship, endowed by FirstWatch.