Philip Swann spent five decades in the natural gas pipeline construction industry, more than three of them leading Swann Construction, Inc., the firm he founded and led until closing it in 2016. Throughout his career, he has built complex structures under complex regulatory environments, work that demands careful planning, disciplined coordination among many parties, and an unwavering commitment to safety. Today he serves as an investment manager. Philip’s aviation experience came from learning to fly a Bell JetRanger helicopter in the period before and during the aftermath of September 11, 2001. Service has shaped his life from an early age. Philip is an Eagle Scout and a member of the Order of the Arrow, Scouting’s national honor society, and a graduate of Liberty University. He is a Past President and current Board Member of the Staunton-Augusta County Rotary Club, and he has served on the Buildings and Grounds Committee and the Parish Council of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. Philip believes that we are all born with three gifts, time, talent, and treasure, and that we are called to use all three in the service of others. St. Michael’s Flight is his answer and dedication to a difficult need, grounded in a lifetime of blessings and experiences. The last five years brought that need into sharp focus. His family walks alongside a grandchild through a battle with cancer, and he came to know young families who suffered the loss of a child. He saw how heavy the burden becomes when a child dies far from home. St. Michael’s Flight joins the lessons of his career, building complex things in complex regulatory environments, with the conviction that no family should face that journey alone. Philip and his wife of 42 years, Jolene, also a Co-Founder of St. Michael’s Flight, are blessed with ten grandchildren.

Family has always been at the heart of who Jolene Swann is. She is a daughter, sister, wife, mother, and “JOJO” to ten grandchildren, and they are the greatest joy of her life. For more than 40 years, Jolene has helped people become stronger, healthier, and more confident. After earning her marketing degree from Radford University, she found her calling in fitness. She worked at the Staunton Athletic Club, the Augusta YMCA, and Augusta Health, and in 2006 she took a leap of faith and opened Jolene’s Personal Fitness Training. Twenty years later she still loves walking alongside her clients as they grow stronger in body and spirit. That same calling to walk alongside people brought Jolene to St. Michael’s Flight. As a mother and grandmother, she knows how unimaginable a family’s grief must be when a child dies far from home, and then how long and painful the journey back can be. She believes no family should have to make that journey alone, or be separated from their child along the way. That is why Jolene co-founded St. Michael’s Flight, which provides no-cost, dignified, private air transport so that a child can come home with their parents beside them. We are blessed to have her as a co-founder and founding board member.

Mark Clarke brings more than four decades of funeral service experience to his role as a founding board member of St. Michael’s Flight. An owner and vice president of Henry Funeral Home in Staunton, Virginia, he brings a funeral professional’s perspective to the organization’s work to establish no-cost, dignified, private air transport for deceased pediatric patients and their accompanying parents, returning children who die far from home to their home communities for final funeral arrangements. Mark began his career in funeral service in 1983 and joined Henry Funeral Home in January 1995 as a licensed funeral director and embalmer. He became assistant manager in 2005 and assumed the responsibilities of general manager in 2012. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from West Virginia Wesleyan College, where he also pursued interests in voice, choral music, and theater. He also completed professional education in mortuary arts and sciences. Throughout his career, Mark has been active in professional leadership and continuing education. He has served as president of the Shenandoah Valley Funeral Directors Association and on the board of directors of the Virginia Funeral Directors Association, where he also chaired the Education Committee and served on the Convention and Professional Development Committees. His service has included the Pre-Need Funeral Trust Advisory Board for Shenandoah Life Insurance Company and the board of Augusta Health Hospice of Shenandoah. Mark holds CANA certification in crematory operations and has spoken to civic and church organizations about funeral options, advance planning, and cremation decisions. Alongside his work with St. Michael’s Flight, he serves on the board of directors of the Augusta County Military Memorial. A member and past president of the Rotary Club of Staunton/Augusta County, Mark is also active in St. Paul’s Church in Staunton, where he has served at both the local and state levels. His commitment to service has included participation in a church-building mission in a remote village in Guatemala. Mark and his wife, Anne, live in Augusta County. They have three grown children and two granddaughters.

Scott W. Hake has flown more than 45 years of accident- and violation-free military and civilian aviation operations, logging more than 9,000 flight hours. He served 14 years with the U.S. Army and an additional seven years with the U.S. government, for a total of 21 years of service. Across his career, Scott has operated as both pilot and manager in airplanes and helicopters, performing a wide range of missions, including intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR); tactical; VIP; medevac; air medical; and corporate charter. Scott holds FAA pilot certificates for both airplanes, single-engine and multi-engine land, and helicopters, with instrument ratings in both categories, along with a current FAA second-class medical certificate. He has served as an instructor and examiner in the military, and he has operated commercial charter operations under his own air carrier certificate. He brings extensive experience in single pilot instrument flight operations. As a Founding Board Member of St. Michael’s Flight, Scott brings decades of safety discipline, operational leadership, and air medical experience to the organization’s mission of providing no-cost, dignified, private air transport for children who pass away far from home.

With a strong commitment to student success, academic partnerships, and workforce development, Velma Bryant brings extensive experience and collaborative leadership to higher education. She currently serves as the Dean of Academic Partnerships at Blue Ridge Community College, where she works to expand educational opportunities, career pathways, and connections with the community. Prior to her current role, Velma served for seven years as Dean of Students and also as Interim Dean of Workforce Solutions. Her broad background across student services, workforce development, and academic partnerships informs her approach to supporting students and developing innovative programs that address regional workforce needs. Velma holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Mary Baldwin College and a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from James Madison University. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Community College Leadership at Old Dominion University. Active in her community, Velma is a member of the Augusta-Staunton Rotary Club, Secretary of the Staunton High School Athletic Booster Club, and a board member of St. Michael's Flight. Outside of her professional and volunteer work, she is a proud wife and mother of two teenagers and enjoys spending quality time with her family.