Sarah Ireland

Chief of Communications and Growth

Sarah brings over 16 years of experience in the non-profit sector across a diverse range of roles to guide her in leading the Great Barrier Reef Foundation’s dedicated fundraising, communication, and marketing team. Her work focuses on growing awareness and securing funds to protect and restore the Great Barrier Reef—critical steps toward the Foundation’s ambitious 2030 goal of developing a globally shared reef restoration solution to safeguard over half of the world’s remaining reefs.

Throughout her career, Sarah has held leadership roles at prominent organisations. As CEO of One Girl, she championed education and employment opportunities for girls and young women. At The Front Project, she led policy, research, and government relations to drive systemic change in Australia’s early learning system. Most recently, she served as Head of Partnerships at Save the Children Australia.

Her work in international development has taken her across Asia, the Middle East, and East Africa, where she led emergency response teams and specialised in advocacy and policy in areas such as education, child rights, refugee rights, and humanitarian outreach. She has also built corporate and philanthropic partnerships that secured significant funding and in-kind support for programs in Australia and abroad.

Earlier in her career, Sarah worked as a journalist with the ABC, honing her skills in communication and storytelling.

Sarah holds a Bachelor of Journalism, a Master of International Studies (Peace and Conflict Resolutions), and a Master of International and Public Law. In 2018, she was recognised as a Pro Bono Australia Impact 25 Winner for her contributions to the sector.