HeartKids Limited is delighted to announce that Sami Glastonbury has been appointed its new CEO, after operating in the role of Acting CEO since November 2025.
Sami has a long and personal connection with HeartKids. As the mother of two HeartKids, she understands first-hand the realities of living with childhood-onset heart disease (CoHD). She has also previously served as a HeartKids State and National Non-Executive Director from 2015 to 2020, and most recently as National Philanthropy Manager in 2025.
Alongside her lived experience, Sami brings over 20 years of business development, marketing and strategy expertise across health, disability, social enterprise and construction organisations. She holds a strong reputation as a business leader, mentor, and advocate for patients and families.
Sami has taken up the role during a challenging funding landscape. Like many charities, HeartKids relies on the generosity of donors, partners and government funding to continue our work. Recent reductions in funding, alongside rising costs, have required some very difficult decisions to ensure support for families can continue now and into the future. This has included changes to our team across both support and operational roles. Throughout this period, Sami has led with empathy, care and clear judgement.
“I am truly honoured to step into the role of CEO at HeartKids, an organisation that means a great deal to me and I don’t take the responsibility of leading it lightly.
My role is to serve our HeartKids community and to shape our work around the needs of our babies, their families, and the wider community by listening, advocating and supporting. Staying closely connected to lived experience, and ensuring those voices continue to guide what we do, is incredibly important to me.
Our team is also a priority. I’m committed to supporting the people who show up every day with care and compassion for our community. While there is important work ahead, I’m excited to lead HeartKids with care, clarity and purpose, and I look forward to spending more time with families, hearing their stories, and continuing to build an organisation that walks alongside them through every milestone.”
— Sami Glastonbury, CEO, HeartKids
For the first time, HeartKids is being led by both a CEO and Chair who bring lived experience of childhood-onset heart disease, alongside decades of financial and commercial expertise. With the dedication of HeartKids staff and the ongoing support of our community, HeartKids remains focused on its purpose: supporting children, teens, adults and families impacted by CoHD through every milestone.
About HeartKids
HeartKids is the only Australian charity dedicated to providing lifelong support, resources, and advocacy for the 250,000 people impacted by childhood-onset heart disease (CoHD). HeartKids provide connection and care informed by lived-experience to ensure no one faces this journey alone.
For nearly 50 years, HeartKids has been dedicated to providing support, information and advocacy, working to reach every Australian family impacted by childhood-onset heart disease (CoHD).
Learn more about our work.
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