Scholarships & Awards
Levinia Crooks Emerging Leader Award
2025 Levinia Crooks Emerging Leader Award
Nominations are not open yet for the 2025 Levinia Crooks Emerging Leader Award. Nominations will open at a later date.
Boost the career of an emerging leader by nominating them for the Levinia Crooks Emerging Leader Award.
To be eligible, nominees must be a healthcare professional working in the BBV, STI, or sexual and reproductive health fields in Australia or Aotearoa/New Zealand, and early to mid-career (less than 10 years in sector). Nominations are open to those working in both clinical and non-clinical based roles.
Award inclusions for the Levinia Crooks Emerging Leader Award
The recipients of the 2024 Levinia Crooks Emerging Leader Award received:
- Return flights, accommodation, and full registration for the Australasian HIV&AIDS Conference 2024 in Sydney, Gadigal Country from 16 – 18 September 2024.
- The opportunity to deliver a 10-minute oral presentation at the Australasian HIV&AIDS Conference 2024.
- ASHM Ordinary Membership for the next financial year.
About the Levinia Crooks Emerging Leader Award
The Levinia Crooks Emerging Leader Award honours the inspirational legacy of former ASHM CEO Levinia Crooks, AM in mentoring young leaders and bringing together the global HIV, BBV, and sexual and reproductive health sectors to create change.
Since 2018, the Award has been presented at ASHM conferences where winners are given the spotlight amongst international leaders in the sector. Former recipients have gone on to make significant contributions across research, community intervention, advocacy, and mentorship. Past winners are listed below.
Past winners
- Marcus Shaw, Manager of Population Health and Community Development
- Dr Tiffany Phillips, Research Fellow and Epidemiologist
2022 Award in Viral Hepatitis: Tom Wright, Harm Reduction Coordinator
2022 Award in BBVs and STIs: Dr Skye McGregor, Epidemiologist
2021 Award in Viral Hepatitis (Nursing): Megan Hughes, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Project Nurse at Tasmanian Eliminate Hepatitis C Australian Outreach Project
2021 Award in BBVs and STIs (Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Healthcare Worker): Kezia Blackledge, Public Health Officer
2020 Award in BBVs and STIs: Prof Eric Chow, HIV/STI Epidemiologist and Biostatistician
2019 Award in Viral Hepatitis: Behzad Hajarizadeh, Associate Professor
2019 Award in BBVs and STIs: Dr Vincent Jasper Cornelisse, Staff Specialist in Sexual Health Medicine
2018 Award in Viral Hepatitis: Jennifer Maclachlan, Senior Epidemiologist
2018 Award in BBVs and STIs: Dr Angie Pinto, Staff Specialist Infectious Diseases & Microbiology and Clinical Microbiologist
Levinia's Legacy
Adjunct Associate Professor Levinia Crooks AM, Chief Executive Officer of ASHM from 1999 to 2017, was a uniting force for change and champion of people’s rights in the Australasian health sector for over 30 years.
She began in the 1980s supporting her friends and colleagues impacted by HIV/AIDS, conducting social research to inform the development of counselling and support services for people living with HIV. She also served as President of the AIDS Council of NSW and Bobby Goldsmith Foundation, as well as on the Board of the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO, now named Health Equity Matters).
Her drive and focus on the needs of the workforce in HIV, viral hepatitis, and sexual health pioneered ASHM as a provider of high-quality resources and training. Levinia developed a wide range of educational resources and provided robust advocacy for many initiatives that resulted in increased access to HIV and viral hepatitis treatments.
In 2008 she was made a Member of the Order of Australia for her contribution to HIV policy, her care for people with HIV, and her contribution to health generally. In 2015 she was further honoured with the ACON President’s Award in recognition of a lifetime dedicated to improving the health and well-being of people affected by HIV and AIDS.
Levinia passed away on 16th October 2017 after a long and courageously fought illness. Levinia leaves us all a major and extensive legacy to carry forward and build upon, with countless lives in our region positively impacted by her energetic, pragmatic, visionary, brave and can-do approach. The Levinia Crooks Emerging Leader Award honours the mentorship and support Levinia provided to countless early and mid-career health professionals, and her significant contributions to the sector as a whole.
The above is based on ‘Vale Levinia Crooks’. For more information on the inspiring impact and legacy of Levinia, read the full article using the link below.
