Rochester native Wade Norwood is CEO of Common Ground Health and has held community leadership positions for more than three decades. In management at Common Ground Health since 2006, Norwood has been central to the nonprofit’s strategic planning process, pushing the organization to become a more effective change agent for all Finger Lakes region residents. 

His leadership roles at the state and local levels include co-chairing the New York State Health Department’s workgroup on health care workforce and co-chairing the region’s Systems Integration initiative with Congressman Joseph Morelle. As a member of the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Commission, Norwood helps to guide funding for economic-development, job-development and anti-poverty efforts across the region. Since 2009, Norwood has served as an at-large member of the New York State Board of Regents, which is responsible for general supervision of all educational activities in the state. He is also a board member of the national Network for Regional Healthcare Improvement (NRHI). 

A leader in Rochester’s faith community, he is president and senior pastor at the Holy Jerusalem Spiritual Church. Norwood is a graduate of the University of Rochester, where he received his bachelor’s degree in political science. He and his wife, Lisa Hardy Norwood, reside in Rochester’s 19th Ward neighborhood. They have two adult children.