Professor Gemma Stacey is Associate Dean for Practice at Nottingham Trent University, where she leads strategic knowledge exchange initiatives that translate research, education, and practice into real-world impact. A Mental Health Nurse by background, she bridges academia, healthcare practice, and charitable leadership, bringing insight to workforce development and healthcare transformation.
Gemma's career began as a Community Mental Health Nurse at Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, where she worked for sixteen years while simultaneously building her academic portfolio. This dual practice-academia pathway shaped her commitment to connecting research with frontline care. At the University of Nottingham, she advanced from Research Associate to Associate Professor and served as Director of Public Engagement, establishing her reputation for making research accessible and actionable.
From 2020 to 2024, Gemma transitioned to executive leadership as Director of Academy and later Deputy Chief Executive at the Florence Nightingale Foundation. During her tenure, the organisation transformed from a small charity into a global membership body serving 250,000 nurses and midwives, while establishing the influential Policy & Influence Think Tank that now shapes healthcare policy at national level.
As a scholar, Gemma has authored over 60 peer-reviewed publications and seven books, specialising in realist evaluation methodology and workforce development. Her research examines nurses' professional capabilities and identity formation, demonstrating how organisational cultures underpinned by compassionate, authentic leadership enable healthcare professionals to thrive.
Currently, Gemma's work addresses critical practice and leadership challenges in healthcare environments facing heightened regulatory scrutiny. She serves on multiple national advisory committees across NHS England, NIHR, and the Royal College of Nursing Foundation, actively shaping policy development. She is Editor-in-Chief of Nurse Education Today, a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and holds an Executive MBA from Cranfield University.
