Staff

• Chairperson - Manori Gunawardene



Manori Gunawardena is a wildlife biologist by profession and has worked on wildlife and biodiversity conservation in human-dominated landscapes with regional experience, especially on mitigating Human Elephant Conflict. Specialized in elephant social behavior and ecology. Is an Eisenhower Fellow in Women in Leadership 2010. Is a member of the IUCN Species Survival Commission Asian Elephant and Crocodile Specialist groups. A member of the board of directors of Environment Foundation Ltd. Special interests are to help mainstream conservation into development in Sri Lanka and develop conservation models that are compatible with Sri Lanka's development goals. Considers evidence and science based approaches in addressing animal welfare issues and interventions.

• Finance Director - Sanjay Kalpage



Sanjay Kalpage is currently pursuing a PhD in Environmental Policy and Management at the University of New South Wales in Sydney. His aspiration is to leverage his corporate sector experience and broad-based academic training to make a significant contribution to sustainable development and conservation in developing countries, especially Sri Lanka. Sanjay has extensive experience in the consulting and banking industries. He was a Director at Standard Chartered Bank from 2003 to 2009. He has worked in the Bank's Singapore and London offices in a variety of roles in corporate client coverage and strategy and planning. Prior to joining Standard Chartered, Sanjay worked at McKinsey & Company, an international management consulting firm. His clients included a range of financial institutions and governments in both developed and developing countries. Sanjay has also worked for Charles River Associates, a USA-based economic consulting firm, and interned at several international development organisations. Sanjay holds an MPhil in Economics from Cambridge University (UK), an MSc in Technology and Policy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA) and undergraduate degrees in economics and electrical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania (USA). He is a Chartered Financial Analyst.

• Hon Advisors to the Board – Dr Janaki Collure, Dr Vipuli Kulasekera and Dr Kumarlal Fernando



Dr Janaki Collure – A director of Pet Vet Clinic, she plays a crucial role in handling the daily clinical responsibilities and ensures high standards of care at the clinic. She is dedicated to training and teaching all clinicians for both Pet Vet Clinic and Blue Paw Trust. A much sought after clinical practitioner, renowned for her calm demeanour in handling clients, and her ability to understand animals. Plays the role of the senior administrator at the clinic in addition to consultations.

Dr Vipuli Kulasekera - Vipuli completed her veterinary medicine degree in 1995. After completing a 6 month internship at the National Zoo, Dr. Kulasekara started the first multi-doctor practice in Sri Lanka together with two colleagues. She came to the US to complete a presidential awarded externship at North Carolina State. In 2002, she completed an internship in anesthesia and critical care at Tufts University. After completing her ECFVG certification in 2003 she started practicing emergency medicine and joined the Emergency Veterinary Clinic staff in 2008. Dr. Kulasekara, her husband and son live in Baltimore and enjoy travelling and visiting with friends and family.

• Technical Advisors – Rishen Fernando
• HR Advisor – Anthony Jeyaranjan
• Resource Mobilization Advisor – Sanda Wijeratne
• CEO – Dr Nalinika Obeyesekere



Nalinika accompanied her father who is an anthropologist on his field study visits to remote areas. She and her mother often picked up sick and injured animals – rabbits, other wildlife, birds, and dogs – and brought them home. Two kind local veterinarians provided care for the various animals sparking Nalinika's interest in the field. When she was 10, she and her family moved to the United States, where she eventually graduated with a degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology from UC-Davis. She returned to Sri Lanka in 1985 where she worked with the Government on a Dolphin conservation project. Due to the limited achievements possible within the Wildlife sector and her ongoing determination to work with animals, she decided to pursue a Veterinary degree. Upon graduation in 1991 she joined the faculty of Veterinary Science as a temporary Assistant Lecturer but was dissatisfied by the pace and degree of change. Consequently, with two colleagues, she launched Pet Vet Clinic in order to combine the best aspects of an academic environment and the private sector; it was the first multi-doctor Veterinary practice in SL and the first managed by women. In recognition of its effective teaching environment, Pet Vet Clinic is accredited by the University of Peradeniya as an internship training center. Together with colleagues, she also helped establish the Society of Companion Animal Practitioners (SCAP) in 2003; of which she was a past president and now holds the designation of director of education. SCAP provides Sri Lankan practitioners with continued learning opportunities and currently organizes short seminars and training programs by inviting internationally certified practitioners to present lectures and workshops in their areas of specialty. Due to their constant interest in animal welfare, the Directors of Pet Vet Clinic established Blue Paw Trust In 2003, which provides free/low cost services focused on dog population control and the eradication of rabies nationally. Nalinika has completed the International Post Graduate Certificate in Small animal Practice through Murdoch University, Australia, in 2010 and is currently completing the Masters course, also offered by Murdoch. Nalinika's long-term goal is to establish a hospital of international standard that will bring together SCAP's professional education efforts, Pet Vet Clinic's high service quality , and Blue Paw Trust's knowledge based animal welfare efforts, in order to create a benchmark for companion animal medicine in Sri Lanka. Awards 2008 onwards - Ashoka Social Entrepreneur Award – Fellow of the Ashoka Trust (Ashoka is the global association of the world's leading social entrepreneurs – men and women with system changing solutions for the world's most urgent social problems) 2007 – Perumal Pillai Award – Most outstanding contribution (jointly with D M Siriwardene) - Sri Lanka Veterinary Association 2005 – Hector C Perera Award – Best clinical presentation (jointly with D M Siriwardene) Sri Lanka Veterinary Association 2000 – Hector C Perera Award – Most outstanding clinical communication Sri Lanka Veterinary Association

• Brand Ambassador – Sunil Perera
• Accountant – Chathuri Wasundara
• Executive Secretary – Nedra Wijeratne



	Nedra has spent a large part of her life in England working in a secretarial capacity and returned to Sri Lanka in 2001 when she joined Pet Vet Clinic. Since childhood she has always had pets, both cats and dogs and loves spending a large amount of time in the jungles of Sri Lanka. She has been with BPT since its inception in 2003 assisting with admin functions.

• External Liaison Manager/Project Co-ordinator – Dr Ganga de Silva



Ganga graduated as a veterinary surgeon from University of Peradeniya in 1997 and joined Ceylon Grain Elevators (Prima) PLC in pursuit of management experience to gain admission to a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree as she was keen to be a management veterinarian! She managed the Prima Kosgama Poultry Breeding Farm exceptionally well as the Farm Manager and in return the company sponsored her MBA. Ultimately she obtained her MBA from University of Sri Jayewardenepura in 2004. In 2006 Ganga joined Blue Paw Trust to combine her passion for management with love for animals to make rabies history. Ganga liaises with the government and non government organizations with regard to dog population and rabies control activities at national level. Co-ordinates the Colombo project's and other projects' work progress. Disseminates knowledge gained during Colombo project to local and international organizations as it is the model for Asia and similar countries in Africa and Latin America. Writes project proposals and negotiates with interested parties/collaborators to start new projects. Prepares budgets, costs processes, and acts as the team's Financial Representative to the Board of Directors. Further, she vaccinates dogs against rabies, sterilizes dogs surgically, involves in dog counts and attitudinal surveys, conducts education programs, etc as part of project team. As the President of Society of Companion Animal Practitioners (SCAP) of Sri Lanka since 2009, Ganga is devoted to popularize continuing education among veterinarians and to develop the veterinary profession to internationals standards. In this regard, through SCAP, she organizes seminars, workshops and training programs conducted by international professionals to facilitate the knowledge flow into Sri Lanka.

• Dog Managed Zone / Education Programme Coordinator - Dr Dynatra Subasinghe



Dr. Dynatra Subasinghe graduated from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka obtaining her B.VSc with honours. Subsequently, due to her love for teaching and research in the veterinary medical field, she joined the faculty as a temporary Lecturer. In pursuit of further studies she left the country and completed an M.Sc in Environmental Toxicology and Management and subsequently a Ph.D in Cambridge, UK in 2011. Due to her keen interest in Veterinary medical studies and to broaden her knowledge in clinical medicine, she obtained membership at the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, UK in the same year. Due to her interest in these two aspects upon her return to Sri Lanka after her studies, she joined the Blue Paw Trust (BPT) and Pet Vet Clinic, where the directors share a similar passion for the profession. Dynatra had also worked in the Blue Paw trust South Coast - Tsunami rabies Control project and was no stranger to the tasks involved. She co-ordinates education programs run by Blue Paw Trust, establishment of Dog managed zones and veterinary training conducted for foreign veterinary students.

• Dog Population Survey / Vaccination Coordinator – Dr Chandika Samarasinghe



Dr. Chandika Samarasinghe graduated from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science in 2007 and he obtained his Masters in Animal Science from the University of Peradeniya in 2010. Subsequently he joined Blue Paw Trust as a Veterinary Surgeon. He is in charge of the vaccination, surgery, dog counting and database management aspects of the Colombo project. He attended an animal control operative conference in Malaysia in 2010 and is conducting ACO training workshops.

• Surgery Coordinator - Dr Sirimevan Gunewardene



	Sirimevan graduated from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science and joined Blue Paw Trust in September 2009. Since then he has gained a lot of experience in animal welfare and pleased with the achievements of the Colombo project. He coordinates the surgery component of the project.

• Community Liaison officer - Renuka Malkanthi



Renuka has been the Community Liaison Officer for Blue Paw Trust since 2008. Before joining BPT she was involved with many community service programs. This experience assisted her in her CLO role. Due to her concerns for both animals and the community she is able to carry out her role enthusiastically. She is the liaison between BPT and the community and organizes mobile clinic sites, education on post operative care, dog bite prevention and responsible pet ownership.

• Animal Control Operatives – Joseph Krishan, Rohan Senanayake, Nalaka Sampath and Nishantha



	Joseph krishan also known as Suresh has been working for BPT since 2006 on the Tsunami rehabilitation project on the East Coast. In addition to his ACO role he handles the recording, filming of all BPT media related aspects. He also is responsible for driving the mobile clinic and assisting the vets when required.

	Rohan has been working for BPT since 2006 on the Tsunami rehabilitation project on the South Coast. He is responsible for driving the mobile clinic and assisting the vets when required.

	Nalaka has been working for BPT since 2008 on the Colombo project. He is responsible for driving the dog catching truck and assisting the vets when required.