Our Board
Cirkidz is an Incorporated Association governed by a Board of Directors.
Current Board Members
Emma Siami (Chairperson)
Emma is an experienced senior leader and non-executive director with a background in diversity, equality and inclusion. Emma has held senior roles in the public sector in South Australia, in the United Kingdom Civil Service and at an Australian trade union. She has worked towards positive outcomes in the areas of employment, education, the criminal justice system and economic development. Emma brings expertise in strategy, people management, equality and program development to empower people through systemic change.
David Panter (Deputy Chairperson)
Originally a psychologist, David has worked in health and social care for almost 45 years, over half of which has been as a Chief Executive. In the UK he initially worked in the National Health Service across hospital, community and primary care services and more latterly in local government, where he was Chief Executive of Brighton & Hove City Council. In 2004 David was recruited to the South Australian public health system where for over 10 years he led reforms including the development of the new Royal Adelaide Hospital. From 2015-2022 David was the Chief Executive of not-for-profit aged care provider ECH (Enabling Confidence at Home). During this time he successfully led the transformation of the organisation away from being a provider of residential care services to being SA’s biggest provider of affordable housing and home care services for older people. At the end of January 2022 David became the Chief Executive at Minda, SA’s largest provider of services to people living with an intellectual disability. David is also an Adjunct Professor at Flinders University in the College of Nursing & Health Sciences. Throughout his career David has worked closely with the Arts Sector seeing the arts, in all their forms, as a critical feature of both an individual’s and a community’s well-being.
Mark D'Angelica (Treasurer)
Mark is an experienced tax and finance professional with a background across corporate, not-for-profit, and professional services environments. He has supported organisations through growth, change, and restructuring, bringing a steady, practical approach to complex financial and governance matters. His expertise spans corporate and international tax, including mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, GST and indirect taxes, employment taxes, and tax governance systems. He also has broad experience working across multiple jurisdictions, including Australia and internationally. Mark is known for his clear communication, collaborative approach, and commitment to strengthening organisational systems and supporting effective decision-making. He is also Treasurer of ComItEs, an elected body representing the Italian community.
Natalie Atkinson (Board Member)
Natalie is an experienced public sector senior executive and holds a first-class honours degree in Politics (BA). Natalie has held roles in strategic policy, government relations, project delivery and operations across a range of South Australian Government portfolios, including energy, workers compensation, central agency, and education – across early years, wellbeing and inclusion. Natalie’s current role is Executive Director, Participation, Integration and Inclusion within the Office for Early Childhood Development, tasked with implementing the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Early Childhood Development and Care, including the introduction of three year old preschool. Natalie has two young children and her daughter is an enthusiastic member of the Cirkidz acro and speciality tumbling class.
Sally Chance (Board Member)
Sally Chance is a dance-theatre artist. She trained at Trinity Laban, London, and is motivated by the power of collaborating with specific communities whose artistic perspectives open the door to new performance forms. For the past fifteen years, and beginning with an Australia Council Fellowship, Sally’s work has been dedicated to the cultural lives of children aged three years and younger. In collaboration with the members of her South Australia-based independent company – Sally Chance Dance - she has created, presented and toured five new performance works and co- created other works including Flower 꽃, a collaboration with Seoul-based Theatre Masil. Sally practices in the field of perinatal infant mental health using dance to support the critical first relationship between mother and baby.Hamish De Silva (Board Member)
Hamish is currently Senior Legal Counsel at Australian-owned defence and engineering company Nova Systems. Hamish is recognised during his industry career as a pragmatic commercial lawyer who has implemented unique commercial solutions in aviation acquisitions, international dispute resolution and significant Commonwealth procurement activities. Hamish is passionate about using his skills to analyse complex legal issues to enable boards and management to make informed strategic decisions. Hamish is strongly committed to youth development and mentoring through various volunteer roles. Being of Sri Lankan and New Zealand heritage, he is enthusiastic about championing diverse voices and fostering greater access to educational opportunities for youth to maximise their potential. Hamish is well-known for his penchant for competitive trivia, including being a 2x State trivia finalist. He is also a passionate devotee to the local arts, music and film industry, and can regularly be spotted amongst the crowd at local concerts and events.
