Naamal De Silva

Naamal De Silva is ABC’s Vice President of Together for Birds, leading work on ethical conservation through collaborations with partners and staff, including through managing our fellowships and awards program for individuals. She works internally with staff and externally with partners on belonging within conservation and birding as well as on preventing burnout.

Naamal serves on the management board and executive council for the Appalachian Mountains Joint Venture for Migratory Bird Conservation. She is one of the founding organizers for DC Climate Week. She has consulted on strategic planning projects with Bernuth & Williamson and created and taught a capstone seminar for the interdisciplinary Sustainability minor at George Washington University. Naamal is the founder of Mayla, which uses storytelling, partnerships, and events to celebrate and support the diversity of people who protect nature. Earlier in her career, she spent nearly a decade at Conservation International, helping staff and partners to identify places and species in most urgent need of conservation. She holds a certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University, a doctorate in Education from George Washington University, a Master’s in Environmental Management from the Yale School of the Environment, and a B.A. in Biology and Environmental Studies from Swarthmore College. Naamal was born in Sri Lanka and grew up in Washington, DC.