Courtney Smith-Garbutt of the Bullinah Aboriginal Health Service was named Rising Star in Rural/Remote Health at the 2025 National Rural and Remote Health Awards on Wednesday evening.
Ms Smith-Garbutt is an emerging leader in rural health whose initiative, cultural insight, and dedication are making a significant impact in her Aboriginal community.
As a medical receptionist at Bullinah Aboriginal Health Service, she identified a key gap in diabetes education and took action; securing grant funding, coordinating a multidisciplinary team, and delivering the Bullinah Diabetes Management Education Day.
The event exceeded expectations, engaging 25 participants and providing "culturally relevant, holistic education" on type 2 diabetes, the Award organisers said.
"By addressing barriers and supporting proactive management, these efforts have contributed to better health outcomes for people living with, or at risk of, diabetes in our community," Ms Smith-Garbutt told Rural Health Pro.
Ms Smith-Garbutt's leadership extended beyond logistics. She collaborated with a range of health professionals-including pharmacists, optometrists, dietitians, renal nurses, and Diabetes Australia-to ensure the event addressed the needs of her community.
Her thoughtful touches, such as fruit and vegetable boxes supporting a flood-affected local business and a community-developed cookbook, reflected her deep understanding of the social determinants of health and commitment to culturally safe care.
"Recognising the social determinants of health, including access to services and cultural understanding, has guided my approach to supporting our community," she said.
"The feedback has been very positive."
Ms Smith-Garbutt's work demonstrates a deep understanding of the challenges facing rural Aboriginal communities and a proactive approach to improving health outcomes. Her creation of a diabetes tracking book provided participants with a practical tool for ongoing self-management.
"Practical tools, such as a diabetes brochure and diabetes diaries, alongside organising Diabetes Management Days at both our main and Outreach clinics, have raised awareness, improved engagement with care, and even facilitated a diabetes diagnosis at our Outreach clinic that may have otherwise gone undetected," she said.
Ms Smith-Garbutt's work at Bullinah has played an important role in her developing her ability to explore beyond her scope of practice. She credits the team's support for her growth in her role, and thanked them for "the opportunity to learn, grow, and contribute in new ways to support our community's health and wellbeing".
Currently studying a Certificate IV in Mental Health, Ms Smith-Garbutt is on a path to becoming an Aboriginal Health Practitioner and Diabetes Educator.
"I believe the next generation will bring fresh eyes, an eagerness to learn, and a strong willingness to thrive in the field they're in," she said.
"As a mother of four young children, I can see how important it is to inspire and encourage the next generation to care for their communities, to value connection, and to understand the difference they can make in rural and remote health."
She told Rural Health Pro the part of being a 'rising star' in rural and remote health of which she is most proud is inspiring her community and the next generation.
"I am most proud of inspiring my children and community to prioritise their health, believe in their potential, and recognise the positive impact they can have on improving the wellbeing of others," she said.
The National Rural and Remote Health Awards were launched by Rural Health Pro in 2023 and "celebrate the extraordinary efforts of health professionals and organisations serving remote and rural communities around Australia".
Taking place each November as part of Rural Health Month, the Awards "bring together rural, remote and Indigenous health community members to pay tribute to their commitment and resourcefulness in the face of unique challenges".
