Pioneer nurse practitioner Lesley Salem receives the Rosemary Bryant Award

Lesley Salem received the Rosemary Bryant Award on Friday 25 May 2025, in recognition of her exceptional work in chronic disease management, especially in rural and remote Australian communities. 

At the 2025 Festival of Nursing, APNA was proud to present this award to Lesley for her significant contributions in the field of nursing, women's health and indigenous health.  

The prestigious award honors Dr. Rosemary Bryant (AO) for her lasting contributions to nursing. As Australia's first Commonwealth Chief Nurse and Midwifery Officer, 26th President of the International Council of Nurses, WHO advisor, and APNA Patron, Dr. Bryant is a respected leader and advocate for primary health care nurses in Australia. 

Lesley’s nursing journey began in the early 2000s when she became Australia’s first Indigenous Nurse Practitioner. She’s a proud descendant of the Wonnarua Nation in New South Wales and has dedicated her career to improving health outcomes for underserved communities. 

Lesley has been a passionate advocate and heavily involved with Over the Bloody Moon, a global organisation, helping individuals navigate hormonal changes. Through her work, more than 30,000 people have accessed free, practical resources. Lesley has also helped bring women’s health issues into the spotlight through media appearances on notable shows such as the Drew Barrymore Show and Australia’s Today Show. 

In 2022, Lesley was awarded the Order of Australia for her outstanding service to Indigenous health- a recognition that reflects her life’s work. One of Lesley’s standout achievements has been her work in Doomadgee, a remote community in Queensland. She was part of the team that set up the area’s first primary healthcare clinic. Working closely with locals, she helped identify key health challenges and led a clinical response to a scabies outbreak- an issue linked to high rates of acute rheumatic fever and heart disease in the community. 

Today, Lesley continues her work as a generalist and chronic disease Nurse Practitioner in private practice, focusing on improving the lives of people in rural and remote communities. Her practice is driven by a deep commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and to those facing socioeconomic disadvantage. 

In the past year, Leslie has supported the APNA RAP program by creating our APNA RAP artwork - a beautiful art piece infused with meaning, identity, and connection. In addition, Lesley is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of nurses, mentoring through APNA’s Transition to Practice Program (TPP) and others.  

Congratulations to Lesley, on your well deserved prize