Our Executive Directors

Samaritans Central Charity (SCC) provides support to branches and the organisation as a whole. SCC is led by our Chief Executive and comprises four core areas, each of which is headed up by an Executive Director, and three nations teams that lead Samaritans strategy for our nations: Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Julie has been a charity CEO for over twenty years and has led some of the UK’s most well-known charity names including Action for Children, Girlguiding, Family Planning Association, and the Suzy Lamplugh Trust. She has been CEO of Samaritans since November 2020.

She has been a Trustee and Vice Chair of the housing and homelessness charity Shelter, and National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO).

Through her career, Julie has earned a reputation for her passionate advocacy of the voices of those with lived experience being at the heart of a charity and for her commitment to meaningful equity and inclusion. She has a reputation for driving change; at Girlguiding she created headlines when she described the century old charity as “the ultimate feminist organisation.” She is also known for the authenticity she brings to her leadership; modelling a very down to earth approach rooted in her working-class background.

In 2014, she was named by Third Sector as the ‘Most Admired Charity CEO’ and in the same year was a castaway for BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs. In 2019, she was awarded The Charity Times Awards for ‘Outstanding Individual Achievement’ and was voted by Charity Times readers as one of the sector’s Most Influential Leaders.

Julie lives on the Essex/Suffolk borders with her partner and when not working loves to walking, reading and trips to the movies. 

Graeme started his career in the public sector, working on economic policy and risk management at the Bank of England. More recently, he has worked in the charity sector, in executive roles at education charities, including as COO of Teach First and Executive Chair of Now Teach.

Graeme enjoys spending time with his family in the Lake District.

With over 25 years combined charity, commercial and statutory experience, Lis joined Samaritans from Help for Heroes where, as their Services Director, she led the transition to community and digitally delivered services and increased the focus on evidence-based practice across the range of support, including mental and physical health and safeguarding. This also involved developing the charity’s focus on suicide risk and prevention for the Armed Forces Community, working collaboratively with others.

Lis is a Trustee of Designability, a charity that enables disabled people to live with greater independence and is also an active listening volunteer at Bath Samaritans.

Sonya has been in the UK voluntary sector for 25 years. She has worked in both international development for organisations such as British Red Cross and UNICEF and for domestic causes including HIV and sexual health, and domestic violence. She leads our external communications, income generation and influencing work.

Rachel joined Samaritans in 2018, bringing with her a wealth of experience from leadership, learning and development and consultancy roles at other high-profile organisations.

During her time with Samaritans, Rachel has held a number of senior leadership roles across our Learning and Development, People and Culture, Performance and Insight, and Internal Communications and Engagement teams, working closely with volunteers and staff. This breadth of experience has given her a deep understanding of the organisation and its people.

Outside of work, Rachel is a mum of four and enjoys reading, exercising, and cooking in the very rare moments she has spare time.