Meet Ira Laketic-Ljubojevic, Kyra’s passionate and experienced CEO. With over 20 years of leadership experience in the public and charity sectors, Ira is dedicated to driving lasting, positive change.
In this post, we’ll explore Ira’s background, her vision for Kyra, and how Ira’s path has inspired her dedication to empowering women
Overcoming Adversity: Ira’s Personal Story
Ira was born and raised in Sarajevo, former Yugoslavia, where she studied medicine before the outbreak of the civil war. In the early 1990s, she escaped the conflict and came to the UK, where she completed her education and built a successful career in the public and charitable sectors.
Having faced war, homelessness, and displacement, Ira’s experiences have fuelled her commitment to improving people’s lives, tackling inequalities, and fostering inclusion.
As Ira puts it: “Raising awareness and tackling inequalities are at the heart of everything I do.”
Ira’s Commitment to Service
With decades of experience in senior roles across health, wellbeing, care, support, and housing, Ira’s experience spans a wide range of jobs. But the goal has always been to improve people’s well-being in whatever way she can.
One of the roles she found especially rewarding was serving as a trustee for Fresh Futures, a charity supporting children, young people, and older people in need.
In December 2023, Ira came on board as Kyra’s CEO, bringing with her a wealth of experience and leadership know-how. She’s great at finding strategic solutions, building partnerships, and driving transformational change.
Ira loves helping organisations grow by getting the best out of their people, especially during times of change—skills she now brings to Kyra. Her focus is always on ensuring that the needs of service users are met, delivering lasting, positive impact for those who need it most.
Driving Kyra’s Mission Forward
Ira’s vision for Kyra centres on creating lasting, positive change for vulnerable and marginalised groups. She is deeply committed to inclusiveness, equity of opportunity, and tackling inequalities—values that align perfectly with Kyra’s mission of supporting women in need.
She believes in leading from the front, having cheered on the Kyra team at the Dragon Boat Race in August, showing her hands-on involvement at every level.
As Ira says, “I am driven by a need for continuous improvement, both personal and organisational, to deliver the best outcomes for those we serve.”
What’s next?
Ira’s excited about Kyra’s future; committed to growing the organisation, expanding its reach, and continuing to provide vital support to women in need.
She invites everyone to learn more about Kyra’s programs and support their mission, sharing her vision of equity, inclusion, and lasting positive change.
