About Us

Ashika Gunasena

Chief Executive Officer

Ashika is the CEO and Founding Director of Chrysalis, with over 20 years of leadership advancing gender equality, women’s empowerment, and GBV prevention. She shapes organisational strategy, drives innovation in programme design, and forges high-level partnerships across government, civil society, and the private sector. Before founding Chrysalis, Ashika held senior roles with CARE International globally and regionally, leading CARE Sri Lanka’s transition into a nationally governed entity. She is recognised for her expertise in systems change, gender-transformative approaches, and strengthening locally led development.

Ahamed Rislan

Director - Programme

Rislan is a development professional with 17+ years of experience in fundraising, project design, grant management, and gender-transformative programming. As Director Programmes at Chrysalis, he has mobilized over $30M from 48 donors, managed 77 projects, and provided technical support in inclusive governance, peacebuilding, and social development. He currently holds a Master’s in Sociology and a Postgraduate Diploma in Development Studies from the University of Colombo, and a B.A. in Communication Studies from Eastern University of Sri Lanka.

Kumarathasan Vinopavan

Programme Manager – Grants & New Businesses

Vinopavan is a seasoned development professional with over 18 years of experience spanning corporate and development sectors. As Programme Manager – Grants and New Businesses and a member of the executive team at Chrysalis, he co-leads key initiatives and provides strategic leadership in economic justice, gender equality, project management, and resource mobilisation. He holds a BSc (Hons) in Food Science and Nutrition, a PG Dip in Business Administration, and is currently pursuing an MBA.

Vindhya Fernando

Head of Advisory Services

Vindhya is a senior advisor and leader with over 20 years of local and global experience advancing gender equality, social inclusion, and conflict sensitivity and currently serves as the Head of Advisory at Chrysalis. She blends deep technical expertise with strong strategic leadership, having managed multi-million-dollar programmes and guided diverse teams across government, civil society, and private sector partners to drive systemic change. Vindhya is recognised for designing and delivering high-quality research and training, building effective partnerships, and translating complex ideas into simple, practical, and adaptable solutions.

Menuka Ariyaratne

Manager - Finance

Menuka Ariyaratne drives Chrysalis’s financial sustainability and strategic goals by ensuring efficient resource allocation, maintaining robust financial systems, and leading compliance with regulations, tax laws, and internal policies. She leads and collaborates with the finance team to enhance processes, implement best practices, and ensure accurate reporting. A qualified accountant with a Master of Business Administration and an Executive Diploma in Business Administration from the University of Colombo, she has also achieved intermediate qualifications from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka and the Society of Management Accountants of Sri Lanka. Her expertise in financial analysis, budgeting, partner capacity building, and due diligence ensures Chrysalis operates with transparency, accountability, and efficiency.

Prasanna Antony

Manager - Communications

Prasanna Antony is a seasoned communication professional with over 15 years of experience in strategic communication, digital advocacy, and media-based storytelling for social impact. His work focuses on amplifying community voices, advancing peacebuilding, and promoting gender equality through compelling and inclusive communication. A specialist in mobile journalism and video storytelling, he has trained more than 300 individuals, including youth, civil society actors, and grassroots groups, empowering them to document issues and drive change. A U.S. exchange alumni with strong leadership and management expertise, Prasanna brings global insight to Chrysalis, where he leads the organisation’s communication vision, strengthening visibility, digital presence, and evidence-based storytelling.

Nadarajah Ravikumar

Project & Area Manager

Ravikumar is a Project & Area Manager and a business development professional skilled in agriculture, MSMEs, and livelihood enhancement in rural and plantation communities. With expertise in gender-responsive value chains, climate-smart agriculture, and post-disaster recovery, and 26 years in development and 9 in the private sector, he advances sustainable MSME growth, women’s economic empowerment, and gender equality.

Maheswaran Prapaharan

Project & Area Manager

Prapaharan is the Project and Area Manager for Northern Province, with 20 years’ experience in programme management and operations. He specializes in governance, women’s empowerment, GBV, conflict sensitivity, and training. At Chrysalis, he drives quality project delivery, stakeholder coordination, and emergency response, advancing the mission of inclusive transformation

Shiraj Morugama

Project & Area Manager

Shiraj Morugama holds a Master’s degree in Sociology and a Postgraduate Diploma in Development Studies. With 30 years of experience in humanitarian and development sectors, he specializes in training, project management, and community mobilization. Currently, at Chrysalis, Shiraj leads the REDEFINE project in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, serving as the Project and Area Manager for the Northwestern and North Central provinces. His work focuses on empowering women and youth to build peace in these regions.

Baskaran Suthan

Manager – Emergency Preparedness and Response

An experienced Manager for Emergency Preparedness and Response, and He is a cross-sector expert with 11 years of experience spanning Project Management (5 years) and Technical Support (6 years). His expertise covers critical sectors including Nutrition, Food Security, WASH, MSME development and Emergency Response. He holds an M.Sc. in Organizational Management and a B.Sc. in Food Science, focusing on delivering effective humanitarian solutions.

Uthuma Lebbe Samsudeen

Project & Area Manager

Samsudeen serves as Project and Area Manager for the Eastern Province, providing strategic leadership for all operations in the region while contributing to the Senior Management Team. With expertise in project management, resource mobilisation, CSO empowerment, and leadership development, he drives programmes that strengthen community systems and transform local institutions. His commitment to inclusive, community-driven development ensures that initiatives are sustainable, relevant, and grounded in local realities.

Saviriappu Thevathas

Project Manager

Theva joined Chrysalis as a Project Manager in 2019, bringing over 35 years of experience across humanitarian, emergency, recovery, and development work in the NGO sector. His career spans diverse roles including Enterprise Development Officer, Credit Officer, Project Coordinator, Program Officer, Senior Program Coordinator, Program Manager, Business Consultant, and Consultant. He holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Development Studies and Public Policies from the Open University of Colombo and a B.A. (Special) in Economics from the University of Jaffna. He has also completed numerous professional trainings, strengthening his expertise in community development and programme management.

Ushani Weerasinghe

Senior Human Resources Coordinator

Ushani Weerasinghe oversees Chrysalis’s human resources operations, including recruitment, performance management, compliance, and staff development. With extensive expertise in HR administration and organizational systems, she ensures that internal processes are efficient, transparent, and accountable. Ushani plays a pivotal role in fostering a supportive and inclusive workplace culture, building staff capacity, and promoting organisational resilience. Her work directly contributes to Chrysalis’s mission of empowering women, youth, and communities across Sri Lanka, enabling teams to deliver impactful programs with integrity and excellence.

Mohamed Naseer

Project lead

Naseer is the Project Manager for the Multi-Actor Partnership on pro-poor, gender-equitable climate risk financing under the IGP’s 2025 initiative. With 18 years of humanitarian and development experience, he specializes in women’s empowerment, climate resilience, GEDSI, and conflict-sensitive programming. He holds an MBA in Project Management and a BA in Social Science and has extensive experience supporting marginalized communities, peacebuilding, and inclusive development.

Manoji Gurusinghe

Senior Accountant

As the Senior Accountant at Chrysalis, Manoji bring two decades of dedicated NGO financial leadership. Her comprehensive expertise in managing multi-donor grants coupled with rigorous financial reporting, compliance oversight, and external and project audit, ensures fiscal integrity. Moreover, she specialize in driving operational efficiency and strengthening partner capacity, directly supporting Chrysalis’ mission through robust, transparent financial management.

Tamara Bernard

Board Chair

Tamara is a seasoned leader with over 35 years of experience in banking, spanning HR, branch operations, corporate and project finance, international trade, renewable energy finance, investment banking, and Islamic banking. Her expertise includes SME and working capital financing, infrastructure and project financing, syndications, risk sharing, and cross-border financial solutions. She currently leads International Trade, Cross-Border Financing, overseas projects, and institutional relationships at Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC. A long-standing advocate for social justice, she has held key leadership roles in the Student Christian Movement of Sri Lanka, the World Student Christian Federation–Asia Pacific, and other global ecumenical platforms.