From EMT to Territory Manager: A Conversation with Noah Wolfe
What if the path you thought you were on wasn't the one you were meant to follow? And what if, instead of taking the next step in your carefully laid out plan, you found yourself pulled in a completely different direction? One that felt right in ways you never expected.
That's exactly what happened to our newest territory manager Noah Wolfe.
An Unexpected Career Shift
I met Noah on a rainy Tuesday morning at our Alameda County base. When I asked if he'd share his story, he welcomed the idea with characteristic enthusiasm. As we sat down to talk about his journey, he told me about his initial plans when he joined as an EMT, gain experience, and move on to become a firefighter. But something unexpected happened along the way.
"I was only planning on being at Royal Ambulance for six months," Noah told me. "Just enough experience to move on to fire. But I had such a good time and made so many friends here that I didn't really want to leave."
It created what Noah said was a paradox. "I needed to advance in my career and move on, but I didn't want to leave Royal Ambulance." The solution appeared unexpectedly: a job posting for a position in customer success. "I thought I'd throw my name in the hat and see what happens," he said. "And now I'm here, and I couldn't be happier."
A Personal Motivation for EMS
Noah's decision to become an EMT wasn't just about finding a career path. It was deeply personal.
"A couple of years ago, my mom had a tumor in her ear. It wasn't cancerous, but it was pressing on her brain stem," he shared. "She was at Stanford for a year, and I felt helpless. I didn't know what to do for her."
That feeling of helplessness became fuel. He wanted to be someone who could step in during an emergency, someone who could make a real difference in people's lives. Becoming an EMT gave him that ability. But it also opened his eyes to a world he hadn't fully understood before.
"You don't realize how much happens behind the scenes," he said. "People are having the worst days of their lives every single day, and EMS professionals carry that weight. That really lit a spark for me."
Transitioning to a New Role
Noah's passion for EMS made it hard to imagine doing anything else. But when a new position opened up at Royal Ambulance, something just clicked.
He applied for the Territory Manager role, not really sure what to expect. Now, he describes himself as a "Swiss Army knife" solving problems and coordinating between nursing facilities and Royal Ambulance. "I connect the right avenues of nursing facilities with the right avenues within our company," he explained.
His EMT experience proves invaluable every day. "It makes me more comfortable entering these nursing facilities because I've been to most of them before. I know some of the nurses," he said. "I want to drive efficiency and make sure our crews are running calls, but I don't want to work them into the ground because they're all my friends. I still play pool with them every week."
What Makes Royal Ambulance Special?
When I asked Noah why he stayed at Royal Ambulance instead of moving on to his original plan, his answer revealed what makes Royal special.
"You see so many jaded EMS professionals out there," he said. "But at Royal Ambulance, people show up to work with a smile on their face. They converse with their patients, treat them like friends. These are things we don't have to do to get transports done, but we do them because we want to make the patient as comfortable as possible."
From where I sit, I can see it isn't an accident. It starts at the top.
"I think if someone is a positive, friendly, caring person, it doesn't take long when they visit here to realize this company cares about its employees and patients. It's more than just profit-driven."
Looking Ahead
Noah's next goal? Being the kind of partner our facilities can count on.
"Six months from now, I want to walk into facilities and have people be genuinely excited to catch up," he said. "I want to know about their kids, their lives. I want them to see me as a partner, someone on their side who can vouch for them and fight for them. And if they see me that way, they'll see Royal Ambulance that way too."
Noah's story at Royal Ambulance is still being written. What started as a six-month plan to gain experience has turned into something much more meaningful. He's found a place where his EMT experience directly shapes how he helps both facilities and crews, where understanding both sides of patient care makes a real difference.
"People have described Royal Ambulance as the benchmark for Bay Area ambulance companies," Noah said. "But as we grow and expand, I want us to remember our roots, that we're patient-first and customer-driven. That's what made us who we are."