Vineta Vilistere-Lāce to lead Children’s Hospital Foundation

Vineta Vilistere-Lāce will take over Latvia’s Children’s Hospital Foundation on Sept. 5, after serving as its executive director for the past year and a half. She will replace Liene Dambiņa, who will complete 20 years as the foundation’s director on Sept. 4.

Vilistere-Lāce said she would continue the foundation’s existing work supporting children and their families, while also developing new initiatives to improve pediatric healthcare. She described taking charge as both a great honor and a major responsibility.

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It is a great honor and, at the same time, a great responsibility to take on the leadership of the Children’s Hospital Foundation.

“It is important for us to continue what has been started, to be there for children and their families when support is needed, and to ensure that children feel as comfortable as possible while receiving treatment in hospital,” she said. She also emphasized continued cooperation with the Children’s Hospital, donors and partners.

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It is important for us to continue what has been started, to be there for children and their families when support is needed, and to ensure that children feel as comfortable as possible while receiving treatment in hospital.

The foundation plans to maintain its current support programs. Its priorities include improving children’s well-being during treatment, supporting professional development for medical staff, helping develop the Children’s Hospital, and working with donors and partners.

Dambiņa announced her departure in April after nearly two decades with the foundation. She is beginning doctoral studies at the University of Helsinki’s Faculty of Medicine and will continue serving on the board of the Child and Adolescent Resource Centre. Her future research will focus on digital therapy for adolescents.

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Vineta has been part of our team for a year and a half and has proven herself both professionally and personally, as a colleague who genuinely cares about children and their families and is ready to put in the work and heart to help.

Dambiņa first became involved with the foundation after her second son was treated at the Children’s Hospital. She said she wanted to find ways for her family to help the hospital beyond their personal experience there.

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For nearly 20 years, I have had the honor of leading the Children’s Hospital Foundation.