Aletha Ward

Dr. Aletha Ward is a Senior Research Fellow at the UQ Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, affiliated with the University of Queensland. A Registered Nurse and policy leader, she specializes in climate health policy and health equity, with a focus on Indigenous communities.

• Chair of the Climate and Health Faculty at the Australian College of Nursing
• Board Director for the Climate and Health Alliance
• Climate and Health representative for the Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association

Her research emphasizes nurse-led climate adaptation strategies, heat vulnerability mapping in regional Queensland, and embedding planetary health principles into national nursing curricula. Aletha advocates for community-led approaches and self-determination in policy reform, and she has contributed to Senate inquiries and presented at the World Health Organization.