Our People

Ravi Corea founded the Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society (SLWCS) in 1995 to establish a new paradigm for sustainable conservation that balances ecosystem protection and economic development in Sri Lanka.  Ravi has a degree in Environmental Biology from the Centre for Environmental Research and Conservation at Columbia University in New York. 

Following extensive research on human elephant conflict (HEC) in Sri Lanka in 1997, Ravi established the first community-based HEC resolution project in Sri Lanka, called “Saving Elephants by Helping People” (SEHP).  Based on the pioneering efforts of the SEHP project, the SLWCS was awarded an Equator Prize in 2008 by the United Nations Development Programme.  From 2005 to 2013, Ravi functioned as the Coordinator of the Human–Elephant Conflict Task Force of the IUCN/SSC Asian Elephant Specialists Group.  Another project Ravi initiated, the Project Orange Elephant, received a Most Innovative Development Project award in 2015 from the Global Development Network.  In May 2016, the SLWCS launched another innovative concept of Ravi’s, which was the world’s first EleFriendly Bus Service to safeguard people and elephants in an ancient elephant corridor.

One of Ravi’s main focuses has been to develop a landscape conservation and development integrated paradigm to resolve environmental issues, especially human-wildlife conflicts, and to increase benefits to people living with wildlife. 

A true legacy team member, Shea serves on the board of the Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society, allowing him to fulfill his passion for providing individuals and communities with the education they need to positively impact wildlife and ecological conservation. Shea holds a Bachelor’s of Applied Science in Banking, Corporate Finance, and Securities Law from Rutgers Business School. In addition, he has been with Hotel Emporium for over 13 years, initially coming on board to serve as Sales Director and over time graduating to the position of Chief Marketing Officer. He supports major company goals and initiatives by overseeing brand licensing, innovative products, marketing development, strategic partnerships, and new business ventures. Before his role at Hotel Emporium, Shea served as a Registered Financial Advisor with Oppenheimer & Co., a leading global full-service brokerage and investment bank.

Natarajan Ishwaran (“Ish”) has a B.Sc. in Zoology (Hons) and M.Sc. in Ecology from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, and a Ph.D. in wildlife biology from Michigan State University, USA. He did his field research for his Master’s in the Gal Oya National Park and surrounding areas; his Ph.D. field work was conducted during the Accelerated Mahaweli Development Program, focusing on elephant conservation.

Ish joined UNESCO in 1986 as a consultant for implementing the natural heritage part of the World Heritage Convention and continued in UNESCO to serve in key positions, including Chief, Natural Heritage, UNESCO World Heritage Centre and the Director of the Division of Ecological and Earth Sciences. Since 2012, he has been associated with several China based science and technology centres promoting international cooperation between China and other countries of the global south, such as Cambodia, Solomon Island and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Currently he is the Executive Director for International Promotion for Deep-time Digital Earth (DDE), a data-driven research initiative launched by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) in 2019.

Dr. Palitha Kohona is a seasoned international diplomat and legal scholar, and one of Sri Lanka’s most distinguished former Ambassadors to the People’s Republic of China. Born in Matale, Sri Lanka, he was educated at St. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, before earning his LL.B. from the University of Sri Lanka, his LL.M. in International Trade Law from the Australian National University, and a Ph.D. from Cambridge University on international trade regulation.  He served as the Foreign Secretary of Sri Lanka, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, and Ambassador to China, North Korea, and Mongolia, as well as to the Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.

Dr. Kohona has also contributed significantly to multilateral environmental diplomacy. He chaired the UN Basel Convention ad hoc Committee on Liability for Hazardous Wastes and led Australia’s delegation to UNCTAD. In recognition of his experience, he has been appointed President of the Diplomatic Club in Beijing, and is a Fellow of both the Foreign Affairs Association of New York and the Biological Diversity Association in Beijing.

Beyond diplomacy, Dr. Kohona is a dedicated supporter of wildlife and environmental causes. During his tenure at the UN, he began supporting the Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society (SLWCS) and was instrumental in enabling the screening of Common Ground, a documentary on SLWCS, at the UN General Assembly Hall. He continues to serve on the SLWCS board, championing conservation initiatives globally.

A passionate animal lover since her childhood, Manisha is committed to supporting the mission of the Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society and applies her comprehensive legal knowledge to offer strategic counseling to the SLWCS.

Manisha Wilson is a practicing attorney with a strong foundation in Transactional and Intellectual Property law.  She earned her Bachelor’s degree from New York University (NYU) before going on to complete her Juris Doctor (JD) at Seton Hall Law School.  Manisha presently works as a legal counsel for the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho.

A passionate animal lover since her childhood, Manisha is committed to supporting the mission of the Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society and applies her comprehensive legal knowledge to offer strategic counseling to the SLWCS.

Patricia, a resident of New Jersey, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Arts in International Relations from Columbia University. She began her distinguished career in the U.S. Foreign Service in 1980 and served consular tours in Karachi, Pakistan; San Salvador, El Salvador; New Delhi, India; and Bogotá, Colombia.  Patricia served as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad from 2007 to 2009 and in 2008 won the State Department’s Baker-Wilkins Award as the Outstanding Deputy Chief of Mission.  Patricia was Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, and after that, the U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh from 2006 to 2007 and from 2009 to 2012, served as the U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives.  Patricia’s final career assignment was as the Dean of the School of Professional and Area Studies in the Foreign Service Institute.

A dedicated animal lover and environmentalist, it was during her time as U.S. Ambassador in Sri Lanka that Patricia developed a deep affection for elephants, becoming a passionate advocate for their conservation. Her work in Sri Lanka exposed her to the challenges facing the Sri Lankan elephant, particularly the human-elephant conflict, and it was through this that she learned about the Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society (SLWCS) and became a supporter and subsequently a board member.

Maureen Shanthi Corea née Wickremasinghe is a seasoned professional in the fashion industry, with over 45 years of experience living and working in the USA. Born into a family with a strong business heritage in Sri Lanka.  Maureen’s father was a pioneer in the garment industry, which sparked an early passion for fashion. Maureen completed early schooling at Holy Family Convent, Bambalapitiya in Sri Lanka before furthering her education at the prestigious Textile College in Reutlingen, Germany, where she gained expertise in textile design and production.

Maureen has always had a deep love for animals, developing a strong sense of responsibility and care for animals from a young age by taking care of animals at the farm her father owned as a hobby.  Maureen’s passion for animals led her to join the board of the Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society.