CRANAplus has launched a new Fellowship category, the Honorary Fellow, recognising exceptional individuals whose leadership, advocacy and service have made a lasting impact on rural and remote healthcare.
At the 2026 CRANAplus Remote Nursing & Midwifery Conference, we were very pleased to congratulate the two inaugural Honorary Fellow recipients, Adjunct Professor Shelley Nowlan and Adjunct Associate Professor Alison Weatherstone.
A CRANAplus Honorary Fellow is an exceptional individual who has made a significant contribution to rural and remote health and/or CRANAplus.
Receiving this Fellowship is a recognition of many years of commitment, leadership, and service. Awarded by invitation or Board nomination, this Fellowship honours individuals whose influence, advocacy, or leadership has had a major positive impact on CRANAplus’ mission.
Shelley and Alison were chosen due to their outstanding contribution to rural and remote nursing and midwifery.
They both have played a pivotal role in strengthening the rural and remote health workforce, influencing policy and championing leadership.
Their commitment extends beyond individual achievement, and they have both made a lasting contribution to their professions.
Adjunct Professor Shelley Nowlan
With more than 39 years’ experience, Shelley has dedicated her career to ensuring nurses and midwives are supported to serve regional, rural and remote communities.
Her leadership has included previous roles such as Deputy National Rural Health Commissioner, Queensland’s Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer and then Chief Nurse Officer. She has been instrumental in supporting the Australian Government’s initiatives to expand rural health services and tackle workforce shortages, and led the development of the National Rural and Remote Nursing Generalist Framework 2023–2027 as the Steering Committee Chair.
Shelley says, “I have been humbled and privileged to be honoured as an Honorary Fellow of CRANAplus.
“It has been really special to be honoured and recognised by my peers for the contributions that we’ve made as registered nurses working in rural areas and remote areas, but most of all the contributions we make for policy and regulation that can make big differences to the working life of a rural or remote nurse in Australia.”
Adjunct Associate Professor Alison Weatherstone
Alison is currently the Executive Director of Nursing & Midwifery at WA Country Health Service, and before this role was the inaugural Chief Midwife for the Australian College of Midwives, and served as Co-Chair of the Global Chief Midwife Community of Practice with the International Confederation of Midwives.
She is an advocate for culturally safe care and community-informed service delivery, and is dedicated to developing a health workforce capable of meeting the diverse needs of rural and remote populations.
Alison says, “I was so humbled to become an Honorary Fellow for CRANAplus.
“I grew up in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, and one of my key drivers during my career has been to improve access to care for rural and remote families. My interest in nursing, and global maternal care in particular, has always been about equity of access. So, I think to align my visions and my values with an organisation like CRANAplus has just been fantastic.
“It’s organisations like CRANAplus that continue to provide education and awareness of priority, innovative and every day matters that are happening in our profession and rural healthcare. I genuinely believe in organisations that are committed to the cause.”
