Rick Tenthy

Background

About Rick Tenthy

I am an operational paramedic, EMS leader, and emergency management professional with over 30 years of frontline and strategic leadership across government, private, and NGO sectors. My career has taken me from being an impacted community member in disasters to holding executive accountability for Prevention, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery (PPRR) for statutory authorities — giving me a unique, 360° perspective on the complexities of emergency management and aviation operations. Throughout my career, I’ve: Directed mission-critical aviation-enabled responses, including the largest civilian helicopter rescue in Australian history. Led high-stakes, multi-agency operations for disasters, counter-terrorism events, and global summits like G20, CHOGM, and APEC. Managed multi-million-dollar contracts and resources, aligning strategic objectives with operational delivery. Designed agile and adaptable service models that integrate emergency medicine, management, and aviation to deliver innovative operational support to agencies, responders, and communities. I am a passionate believer in adaptive and innovative service delivery models that meet the demands of today’s complex operational landscape. My leadership style is collaborative and outcome-focused, bringing together diverse teams of specialists to design creative solutions for high-pressure, zero-fail missions. Whether on the frontline or in the boardroom, my focus remains the same: enhancing capability, protecting communities, and empowering teams to deliver with excellence.