National Excellence Awards Winners
National Excellence Awards Winners
Social Work Student of the Year Award
Morgan Shepherd
Morgan Shepherd (they/them) is a second year Masters of Social Work student studying at the Australian Catholic University on Ngunnawal and Ngambri Land in Canberra. They are passionate about working with marginalised groups and advocating for social change. Morgan also works in child and adolescent mental health and in disability support, areas they are deeply invested in.
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Social Worker of the Year Award
Rowena Lawrie
Rowena is a proud social worker and Director of Yamurrah, an organisation that leads a professionally diverse Collective of First Nations Clinicians and trauma specialists. Rowena is a PhD candidate who has been a clinical social worker for more than 25 years. She has a background in law and justice, with post graduate studies in Neuroscience and a strong policy and research background.
Social Work Researcher of the Year Award
Dr. Gerard Jefferies
Dr. Jefferies is a social work early career researcher/lecturer at the University of the Sunshine Coast. He has 12 years of field education experience and is known for his excellence, innovation, and dedication to preparing social work students for professional practice. His research focuses on advancing social work education with simulation to meet the new demands in the post COVID era and to strengthen practice skills for students entering the field.
Social Worker of the Year Award
Karen Green
Karen Green has delivered specialised SW services within the Department of Defence & the Department of Veterans Affairs for over 25 years. Her specialist expertise & commitment to the SW profession resulted in her being awarded 3 prestigious scholarships, including Mount Sinai Hospital (NY) ‘Enhancement of International SW Leadership in Health Care’; Commonwealth Endeavour Executive Fellowship (sponsored by Fordham University,NY); & ‘Laurie Cowled Women in Leadership Scholarship’ (QUT Business School).
