Nilushka Perera Email & Phone Number

Stockport District, Gb

London Area, United Kingdom

Following an interim role as Head of Operations, I am now transitioning to oversee the delivery of our strategic plan and strengthening partnerships.

London, England, United Kingdom

My key responsibilities in this role was focused on scale up and implementation of the @BabyBuddyApp and managing research and policy partnerships. Some specific details are below: - Leading and developing a large-scale digital app programme and its implementation, Baby Buddy Local across 30 local authorities in the UK resulting in an average increase of 30% of the birth cohort using the app. - Using historical and forecasting data to plan yearly and quarterly budgets achieving full programme cost recovery.- Managing research collaborations with leading academic partners including UCL and University of Cambridge and explore how a digital intervention can be used as a research tool to stregnthen the evidence base around infant feeding and parental mental health.Since November 2023, I took on an interim Head of Operations role to support the charity in its growth.

Colombo, Sri Lanka

I collaborated with a group of expert MHPSS researchers and practitioners in Sri Lanka on a number of impactful research and resource development projects. Some of the projects are listed below. • Led the design of an innovative trilingual website with animations, audio and video displays to support access to mental health resources in partnership with World Health Organization (SL). • Lead Quantitative Researcher and Project Manager for a research study exploring Connections and Trust in Communities of Practice in Sri Lanka in partnership with Queen Margaret University, Scotland UK. • Lead researcher in conducting a review of evidence on exploring the effectivness of MHPSS interventions for first responders funded by the Asia Foundation• E learning course design and development : Basic Psychosocial Skills for First Responders to be used across Sri Lanka, Nepal and Timor-Leste.

Sri Lanka

Part time lecturer in sessions related to Global Health, Evaluation Techniques and Research for the MSc in Clinical and Health Psychology.

London, England, United Kingdom

• Analyzed over 10 diverse data sets to identify opportunities and risks to support families across the UK to get access to evidence based resources across the perinatal period. • Facilitated strategic decision-making to invest more in equitable community partnerships by creating detailed reports across multiple data axis for donors, funders, local authorities, and community partners.• Represented Best Beginnings at international conferences, community events, and forums convened to discuss maternity and early years policy issues.• Established and nurtured relationships with key stakeholders across sectors including the NHS, early years charities, and academic institutions.• Wrote data-driven reports and delivered policy development proposals to government agencies to support choice and personalisation of care in maternity.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka

Responsible for developing a health care data collection app for a national non communicable study. making data entry and analysis more efficient and optimum was also a key focus of my work. I was involved in designing field schedules and set up for a national scale health study while managing a team. I also designed a website for a global health research project called "Inclusive Social Protection for Chronic Health Problems" in collaboration with the University of Lausanne, Switzerland.

London, United Kingdom

Sri Lanka

Development of psychometric assessments for health and corporate clients to support recruitment and retention. Co designing and implementing programme evaluations for over 10 national community and corporate research projects.Programme/Workshop Facilitator for community development projectsFollowing the aftermath of an inter-religious riot in the town of Aluthgama, Sri Lanka, I was part of a team of psychosocial workers who facilitated tri-lingual workshops on self-awareness, emotional regulation, anger management and mindfulness over six months with over 35 women. Facilitated a series of workshops on leadership and career guidance for 25 young people in post tsunami rehabilitation.

Hspr Summer School, Women'S Mental Health Research

Master Of Public Health (Mph), International Public Health/International Health

Activities and Societies: Postgraduate Sounding Board Member - Representative for Taught Courses of the Faculty of Medicine and Health.

Bachelor'S Degree, Psychology, First Class Honours

Activities and Societies: President of the Performing Arts Club of ANC, Head of the Psychology component of the MS Society & Charity.

Certificate, Gene Technology, Distinction

Biology, General

Activities and Societies: Choir Leader of the Senior Choir, Interact Club, English Literary Association, Drama and Debating Society