Raised by Sri Lankan immigrants, I charted an unexpected path from my Canadian upbringing to Wesleyan University, a liberal arts college in Connecticut. My parents first thought ‘liberal arts’ was painting. It wasn’t quite that, but what I studied was surprising: I translated a French novel and took calculus and economics courses. Now as an alum, I sit on the Alumni of Color Council and champion other first-gen students.

After Wesleyan, my passion for growth marketing led me to WeWork, where I helped technology partners and new employees alike understand our business. A deeper calling for impact drove me to launch a social enterprise, and I taught and mentored dozens of NYC students. Later, during my MBA at Berkeley, I guided my classmates towards social impact roles, organized sustainability talks, and taught a public speaking course.

Now working within Cisco's Chief Sustainability Office, my conviction remains: I seek to help people develop, learn and grow, so we may address the most pressing business challenges.