Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards 2026

Congratulations to the Winners of the Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards 2026 and recipients of the 2027 Premier’s Nursing and Midwifery Scholarships! Winners were announced at a Gala Dinner held at the Morphettville Wolf Blass Event Centre on Friday, 8 May 2026.

Please see below for the videos of Winners and finalists by Award category:

Excellence in Aged Care

Winner: Golden Connections at Golden Grove: Generations in Conversation - Helping Hand Golden Grove
Finalist: Person Centred Care at Eldercare Seaford: Connection to Coast Program - Eldercare Seaford
Finalist: Nurse Consultant Residential Care Outreach Team and Older Persons Assessment and Liaison - Southern Adelaide Local Health Network

Excellence in Clinical Specialisation

Winner: Vicki Packer - Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network
Finalist: Amelia Collins - Limestone Coast Local Health Network
Finalist: Aysha Lavery-Brook - Limestone Coast Local Health Network

Excellence in Education

Winner: Teisha Reid - Women’s and Children’s Health Network
Finalist: Kylie Pellizzari - Royal Flying Doctor Service
Finalist: Menopause May: More than Hot Flushes - Southern Adelaide Local Health Network

Excellence in Leadership and Governance

Winner: Lesley Legg - Central Adelaide Local Health Network
Finalist: Associate Professor Lynette Cusack - Northern Adelaide Local Health Network
Finalist: 
Melissa Perry - Limestone Coast Local Health Network

Excellence in Leadership - Emerging Leader

Winner: Lucy Mears - Limestone Coast Local Health Network
Finalist: Heath Milne - Northern Adelaide Local Health Network
Finalist: Lijo Mathew - Southern Adelaide Local Health Network

Excellence in Practice – Aboriginal Nurse/Midwife (Mary Buckskin Award)

Winner: Lee Milera - Yorke and Northern Local Health Network
Finalist: Jason Degenhardt - Northern Adelaide Local Health Network
Finalist: Penny Harrison - Southern Adelaide Local Health Network

Excellence in Practice – Early Career Nurse/Midwife

Winner: Billie Hartmann - Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network
Finalist: Theresa Nuessler-MacRae - Limestone Coast Local Health Network
Finalist: Wenxin (Sherry) Sun - Northern Adelaide Local Health Network

Excellence in Practice – Enrolled Nurse

Joint winner: Anthony Schloithe - Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network
Joint winner: Chelsea Couper - Eyre and Far North Local Health Network
Finalist: Anuja Nair - Southern Adelaide Local Health Network
Finalist: Kellie Hearn - Northern Adelaide Local Health Network

Excellence in Practice – Midwife

Winner: Caitlyn Reid - Royal Flying Doctor Service
Finalist: Gemma Crichton - Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network
Finalist: 
Kerrianne Carter - Women’s and Children’s Health Network

Excellence in Practice – Nurse Practitioner

Winner: Di Edwards - Southern Adelaide Local Health Network
Finalist: Jeffrey Stewart - Central Adelaide Local Health Network
Finalist: 
Laura Hall - Women’s and Children’s Health Network

Excellence in Practice – Registered Nurse

Winner: Melissa Reed - Flinders and Upper North Local Health Network
Finalist: Chantal van Gasteren - Central Adelaide Local Health Network
Finalist: 
Maddie McPherson - Limestone Coast Local Health Network

Excellence in Practice – Team

Winner: Virtual Intrapartum Midwifery Statewide Support Service - Women’s and Children’s Health Network and regional LHNs
Finalist: Central Adelaide Palliative Care Service - Central Adelaide Local Health Network
Finalist: 
Metro Rural Nursing Exchange Program - Northern Adelaide Local Health Network, Yorke and Northern Local Health Network and Flinders University

Excellence in Research and Innovation

Winner: Kelly Vickers - Northern Adelaide Local Health Network
Finalist: Dr Chen Langduo - Southern Adelaide Local Health Network
Finalist: Monica Diaz - Women’s and Children’s Health Network

Congratulations to the 2027 Premier’s Nursing and Midwifery Scholarship recipients:

  • Amanda Stokes and Lisa Fidock (joint recipients), BHFLHN
  • Dr Chen Langduo and Petra Bierer (joint recipients), SALHN
  • Elisa Gardiner, DHW
  • Nicole Loft, CALHN
  • Tia-Skye Perrett, WCHN

SA Health would like to acknowledge the contribution of the following partners for 2026:


For more information

Contact the Nursing and Midwifery Office, SA Health on:

Phone: (08) 8226 5784
Email: health.nursingandmidwifery@sa.gov.au

Previous award winners and partnerships