Congratulations to all of the Flinders alumni who were named as winners, finalists and scholarship recipients at the Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards 2026 and the 2027 Premier’s Nursing and Midwifery Scholarships last month! The awards aim to publicly recognise and celebrate the significant contribution that nurses and midwives make to the community. Flinders is a long-time supporter of the event and can proudly holds the number one position in SA in Nursing for graduate salary and full-time employment.*

See below video testimonies from all of our winners and finalists in each award category:

 

Excellence in Aged Care
Finalist: Nurse Consultant Residential Care Outreach Team and Older Persons Assessment and Liaison – Southern Adelaide Local Health Network

• Chris Barros (GradCertPallCare ’24)
• Karen Gregory (DipNg ’91, MPallC ’23)

 

Excellence in Education
Finalist: Kylie Pellizzari – Royal Flying Doctor Service (GradCertNg(CritCareNg) ’13, GradDipNg(GlobHlth) ’20, MNg(CritCare) ’20)

 

Excellence in Leadership and Governance
Finalist: Associate Professor Lynette Cusack – Northern Adelaide Local Health Network (DipNgSt ’87, BNg(PostReg) ’90, PhD(Ng/Midwif) ’02)

 

Excellence in Leadership – Emerging Leader
Finalist: Lijo Mathew – Southern Adelaide Local Health Network (GradDipPallC ’22)

 

Excellence in Practice – Midwife
Finalist: Gemma Crichton – Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network (BNg(PreReg) ’14)

 

Excellence in Practice – Nurse Practitioner
Winner: Di Edwards – Southern Adelaide Local Health Network (BNg(PreReg) ’97)

Finalist: Jeffrey Stewart – Central Adelaide Local Health Network  (MNursPrac ’24)

 

Excellence in Practice – Registered Nurse
Winner: Melissa Reed – Flinders and Upper North Local Health Network (GradCertClinRehab ’10)

Finalist: Chantal van Gasteren – Central Adelaide Local Health Network (BNg(PreReg) ’13, GradCertACNg(CritCare) ’17)

Finalist: Maddie McPherson – Limestone Coast Local Health Network (GradCertACNg(Emergency) ’18)

 

Excellence in Practice – Team
Finalist: Central Adelaide Palliative Care Service – Central Adelaide Local Health Network

• Amanda Bashara (GradDipPallC ’15)
• Lucy Cussans (GradCertPallCare ’20)
• Karen Jacquier (MPallC ’14)

Finalist: Metro Rural Nursing Exchange Program – Northern Adelaide Local Health Network, Yorke and Northern Local Health Network and Flinders University

Vanessa Owen – Academic Status holder and mentor in the Nursing Leadership Mentoring Program.

 

Excellence in Research and Innovation
Finalist: Monica Diaz – Women’s and Children’s Health Network (BNg(PreReg) ’02, BHlthSc ’02, BMid(Postreg) ’07)

 

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

• Dr Chen Langduo and Petra Bierer (BNg(PostReg) ’93) (joint recipients), SALHN
• Elisa Gardiner (BNgPrac ’95), DHW
• Nicole Loft (MNg(NPrac) ’13), CALHN

 

*The Good Universities Guide 2026 (postgraduate), public SA-founded universities only.