Mike Wionzek, Director – Operations and Partner Support – Warrior Health
Mike Wionzek joined the Warrior health team as Director – Operations and Partner Support, following a 35-year career as a soldier, paramedic and Deputy Chief. Mike served as the Deputy Chief of Toronto Paramedic Services (TPS), the largest municipal Paramedic Service in Canada with over 1,600 staff that respond to over 320,000 emergency calls annually. Mike’s portfolio included the TPS communications centre (CACC), education and quality improvement, IT and systems engineering, hospital liaison, and system performance.
During the COVID pandemic Mike was seconded to Toronto Public Health and the city’s Immunization Task Force as the Director responsible for managing the COVID-19 Mass Immunization Clinic and mobile response plan. Mike led the design, implementation and operationalization of the largest successful Mass Immunization Clinic (MIC) plan including the hiring and developing of over 2,000 new staff that vaccinated hundreds of thousands of clients, while working collaboratively with provincial, municipal, and local partners and organizations.
Mike has served over 35 years in the Canadian Armed Forces and is currently serving as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Health Services. Mike has held various positions including most recently Commanding Officer of 25 Field Ambulance and Deputy Commander and Reserve Advisor for the 4 Health Service Group. Mike also served internationally as a military observer and peacekeeper in Sudan, Africa.
Mike has been awarded the Order of St. John, Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal, the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) Medal, Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, King’s Coronation Medal, Canadian Emergency Medical Services Exemplary Service Medal, and long service medals for the Canadian Armed Forces, St. John Ambulance, and Toronto Paramedic Service. Mike is also Knight in The Order of St. George where he volunteers his time in raising funds for veterans’ organizations.
Mike holds a Bachelor of Health Science in Pre-Hospital Care from Charles Sturt University and a Masters of Defence Studies degree from Royal Military College.
Mike believes in supporting our front-line public safety professionals (PSP) and advocates for the reduction of barriers to education and support. Leveraging his ability to build teams and processes Mike will assist in the Warrior Health team in ensuring that every PSP has ongoing and continual access to the best resources available.