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:
- Platinum Sponsor: Adelaide University
- Gold Sponsor: Flinders University
- Silver Sponsor: Your Nursing Agency
- Bronze Sponsor: Leahurst Nurses’ Foundation
- Award Category & Centrepieces: CATSINaM
- Award Category & Pre-dinner Drinks: Australian College of Midwives - SA Branch
- Award Category & Dance Floor/Music: Healthcare Australia
- Photobooth Sponsor: Nurse Midwife Health Program Australia
For more information
Contact the Nursing and Midwifery Office, SA Health on:
Phone: (08) 8226 5784
Email: health.nursingandmidwifery@sa.gov.au