BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The CEPA Board of Directors consists of nine members who represent the public sector, international development agencies, and independent expertise. Directors are initially elected for 2 years with the possibility of re-election, for a maximum period of six years. The Board of Directors meets quarterly to oversee, steer and review the performance of the Centre. According to the Articles of Association the Chairperson is selected from the group of independent experts.
Prof Hiran Dias
Chairperson
Prof. Hiran. D. Dias obtained his MA and PhD in Geography from the University of Cambridge. and was the Professor of Geography and President at the University of Sri Lanka, Colombo Campus before joining the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok where he was Professor of Rural Development Planning and Head of the Human Settlements Division. He has been a trainer in participatory rural development, a development consultant for Governmental and Non-Governmental rural poverty alleviation projects and undertaken numerous consultancies for international agencies. He initiated the NGDO Management Development Training Program of the Asian Institute of Technology and the CHAKRA consortium that designs and conducts training programmes for NGDO Managers in Asia.
Prof Savitri Goonesekere
Deputy Chairperson
Prof. Goonesekere is an Emeritus Professor of Law and a Director of the Centre for Women's Research (CENWOR).
Murtaza Esufally
Deputy Chairperson.
Mr Esufally is a Barrister at Law and a Director of Hemas Holdings Ltd, a diversified conglomerate. He also possesses an MBA from the University of Melbourne.
Dushni Weerakoon, PhD
Dr. Weerakoon holds a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Manchester, U.K. and is currently the Deputy Director of the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS).
Amala De Silva
Dr. Amala De Silva, is a Professor in the Department of Economics, University of Colombo. She graduated from this university and has a DPhil from the University of Sussex. Her research is mainly in the area of Health Economics.
Asoka S Gunawardena
Director
Former Chairman of the Finance Commission of Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka Administrative Service. Mr Gunawardena is a governance specialist with particular interest in decentralization and sub-national government. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons), from the University of Ceylon, a Post-graduate Diploma in Development Administration, from the University of Leeds, UK, and a Master in Social Science, from the University of New England, Armidale, Australia
Markus Mayer Ph.D
Director
Dr. Mayer holds a Ph.D in Development Geography from the University of Heidelberg, Germany and works for International Alert.
SUBSCRIBING MEMBERS
Sunil Bastian
Research Fellow, International Centre for Ethnic Studies
Anila Dias Bandaranaike, PhD
Freelance Consultant
Christoph Feyen
Programme Manager, GTZ Nepal
Ramani Gunatilaka, PhD
Freelance Consultant
Dileni Gunawardena, PhD
Senior Lecturer, Department of Economics and Statistics, University of Peradeniya
Chandra Jayaratne
Former Chairman, The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce
Asoka Kasturiarachchi, PhD
Policy and Processes Specialist, Capacity Development Group, UNDP, New York
Wimal Nanayakkara
Consultant, Institute of Policy Studies
Sasanka Perera, PhD
Professor of Anthropology and Head, Department of Sociology, University of Colombo
Darini Rajasingham – Senanayake PhD
Freelance Consultant
R. M. K. Ratnayake, PhD
Director Sanasa Bank & Director Sanasa Higher Education Agency
Nimal Sanderatne, PhD
Freelance Consultant
Prof. Kalinga Tudor Silva
Senior Professor, Faculty of Arts, University of Peradeniya and Executive Director, International Centre for Ethnic Studies
Nireka Weeratunge, PhD
Senior Scientist (Gender & Social Development), The WorldFish Center, Penang
