Wade Norrie, Director of Nursing at NSW Health, Nursing Lead for St John Ambulance, NSW & Chair of the Board - Australian First Responder Foundation

Wade Norrie is a Registered Nurse who has been a first responder with St John Ambulance NSW since 2013, and prior to this Cairns in Far North Queensland. Wade is currently appointed to the Clinical Advisory Group as the Nursing Lead for St John Ambulance NSW. He is passionate about member welfare and has been an active Peer Support Officer with St John Ambulance since 2014. Working for NSW Health Wade is currently the Director of Nursing, Western Sydney Local Health District – Mental Health Services. 

With 31 years’ experience in the public health sector, Wade has worked in both acute and community healthcare settings in NSW, QLD and the ACT. He has also held academic positions with undergraduate nursing programs at James Cook University and the University of Western Sydney. He holds academic qualifications as a Nurse, a Bachelor of Business from the Queensland University of Technology and a Master of Leadership and Management from the University of Wollongong. 

In 2020 Wade was awarded the NSW Premiers’ Award for his contributions to the NSW Health and St John Ambulance NSW response to the bushfires and mental health team mobilisation for the South Coast NSW. The mental health and wellbeing of First Responders, their families and communities is central to Wade’s commitment to the Australian First Responder Foundation.