The winners of the 2026 WA Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards
Five Edith Cowan University (ECU) alumni from the School of Nursing and Midwifery were awarded coveted accolades at the 2026 WA Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards (WANMEA) in recognition of their compassion, dedication and difference their endeavours make to others.
The honours celebrate the extraordinary role which nurses and midwives carry out every day, whether in a hospital, a community setting, clinic, rural or remote areas.
Jodee Hollingsworth
ECU 2017 Certificate in Midwifery Diagnostics and Prescribing graduate, Jodee Hollingsworth, who now works as a midwife at St John of God Health Care Group in Midland, took home the prestigious 2026 Midwife of the Year award for her extraordinary leadership and commitment to culturally safe maternity care for Aboriginal women and families.
Lifetime Achievement Honour Awards were given to Graeme Boardley, who completed his Master of Nursing at ECU in 1998, as well as Dr Catherine Stoddart who graduated with a Bachelor of Nursing degree in 1996.
The Lifetime Achievement Honour Awards recognised the two remarkable professionals who have helped shape nursing and midwifery in WA and beyond.
Mr Boardley has devoted more than four decades to improving outcomes for women, babies, and families in a career spanning clinical leadership, workforce reform, education and advocacy.
Dr Stoddart, Brightwater Care Group chief executive officer and a former WA Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, has been a tireless advocate for the profession over 40 years.
Of the 17 awards given, five were presented to ECU graduates, which also included an Excellence in Leadership – Emerging award given to 2023 Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner) Ms Naomi Louise Hallsworth.
Rounding out the ECU graduates to be recognised on the night were Ms Elizabeth Hull, who competed Bachelor of Science (Nursing)/Bachelor of Science (Midwifery) degrees in 2017, who walked away with a Consumer Appreciation Award.
"The WANMEA are a fantastic opportunity to highlight the vital contribution of nurses and midwives across our State and recognise the exceptional care they provide," WA Minister for Health, Hon Meredith Hammat said.
"Jodee Hollingsworth's leadership and commitment to culturally safe maternity care for Aboriginal women and families is truly inspiring and reflects the very best of midwifery in Western Australia.
"Graeme Boardley and Dr Catherine Stoddart have each made an enduring contribution to nursing and midwifery, and their lifetime achievements have strengthened our health system for generations to come."
ECU Executive Dean School of Nursing and Midwifery Professor Karen Strickland.
ECU's Executive Dean for the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Professor Karen Strickland welcomed the announcement.
"These awards are a powerful reminder of the extraordinary work that nurses and midwives undertake every day," Professor Strickland said.
"ECU is proud of the part it plays in preparing the next generation of nursing professionals who continue a legacy of care."
The ECU School of Nursing and Midwifery has built a reputation for producing some of the highest-quality graduates in Western Australia and is recognised amongst the top 75 nursing programs in the world.
ECU offers Western Australia's largest undergraduate nursing program, in addition to the State's only dual Nursing and Midwifery degree, an innovative program that prepares graduates with a unique breadth of knowledge and skills.
