Celebrating excellence at the 2025 NHAA Awards

We proudly attended the Naturopaths and Herbalists Association of Australia (NHAA) awards held on May 3-4 2025 at the Sydney Masonic Centre. As Australia's oldest complementary medicine association, established in 1920, the NHAA recognises outstanding achievements in naturopathic and herbal medicine.

Several staff and alumni were among the nominees, highlighting our institution's commitment to excellence in education as a foundation. We congratulate all 2025 award recipients for their significant contributions to advancing the field of naturopathic medicine in Australia.

Notable contributions to Naturopathic and Herbal Medicine education

Bettina Schmoll (Senior Learning Facilitator) was recognised for over 25 years of dedicated teaching in Herbal Medicine. Bettina has inspired generations of herbalists and naturopaths. She leads introductory and advanced subjects and may be best loved for leading the Botany and Herbal Manufacturing classes.

Notable contributions to Naturopathy and Western Herbal Medicine

Hannah Boyd, President of NHAA and Australasian College of Natural Therapies (ACNT) alumna, was honoured for her leadership and service as President of the NHAA. Hannah has played a pivotal role in advancing the profession and supporting the naturopathic and herbal medicine community across Australia and globally. She also practices as a clinician at New Leaf Naturopathic Health, where she provides naturopathic care to her clients.

Student of the Year

Awarded to alumna Jennifer King, Bachelor of Health Science (Western Herbal Medicine). Jennifer is a passionate leader of the NHAA Sydney Herbs Chapter, which hosts regular community events to foster knowledge-sharing and support among members.

Community Award

Awarded to Sonya Brown, alumna of Bachelor of Health Science (Naturopathy), is a Naturopath at Liverpool Women’s Health Centre and is honoured for her impactful work providing complementary health services to vulnerable populations through her naturopathic practice.

Clinic of the Year

Awarded to RH Reproductive Health, founded by alumna Rhiannon Hardington, for being a standout clinic offering inclusive, holistic reproductive health services for all, including the LGBTQIA+ community.

Business Achiever

Awarded to "Natural Script", Dianna Boot, who is recognised for outstanding achievement in business innovation and leadership, Dianna Boot has made a significant impact through her work at Natural Script, supporting practitioners and improving access to high-quality naturopathic products and services.

NHAA Fellow

• Liza Oates (Casual Learning Facilitator): A respected educator and leader in clinical practice and food as medicine. Lisa also presented at the conference on “Setting the Stage for Success: Improving Patient Adherence in Clinical Practice.”
• Jan Batty: Jan founded her practice in 1988 and served her community for 35 years. She recently retired in 2024. During her time, she helped countless families improve their health and wellbeing. She was a beloved teacher at the Southern School of Natural Therapies (SSNT) for many years.
• Rhiannon Hardingham: Rhiannon is a leader in reproductive health with a special interest in fertility. She is committed to the successful integration of natural and conventional medicine to gain results and gives back to the naturopathic community through group and individual practitioner mentoring.

Poster Competition Winner

Awarded to Ian Breakspear (Torrens University Australia) with Matthew Leach (Southern Cross University) for their collaboration on poster title “Efficacy and Safety of Olive Leaf Extract in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes: Outcomes of the ESOLED Clinical Trial”.

We are also proud of the presenters who participated in the Rapid Fire Research Presentations:

• Tracelee Shew: Presented on "Anxiety and Herbal Medicine". Tracelee is a Senior Learning Facilitator whose PhD research project evaluates the perceptions of student practitioners and their patients regarding the efficacy of herbal medicine for anxiety.
• Ekaterina Schultz: Presented on "The role of herbal medicine in managing cognitive dysfunction associated with SARS-COV-2". Ekaterina graduated with a Bachelor of Health Science (Western Herbal Medicine). She is currently progressing in her Master of Philosophy at Torrens University, examining cognitive dysfunction associated with long COVID.