Shalini Wickramatilake, DrPH, MHS is the Director of Health and Human Services at the National Association of Counties. She previously served in the Biden-Harris Administration as a Senior Advisor at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and as Associate Director for Intergovernmental Affairs at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. Throughout her career, she has worked to advance mental health and substance use policy and strengthen systems of care at the federal, state, and local levels.

As a public health leader and researcher, Dr. Wickramatilake has focused on mental health, substance use, and maternal health policy. She previously served as Policy Director at the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health and as Associate Director of Federal Affairs at the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Agency Directors. She earned her Doctor of Public Health degree from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where her dissertation research examined how state governments are addressing eating disorders, with a particular focus on prevention, treatment access, and systems coordination.

Her commitment to eating disorder advocacy is both professional and personal. Through her policy leadership, research, and lived experience in recovery, Dr. Wickramatilake is passionate about ensuring that individuals affected by eating disorders have access to timely, evidence-based care and support. She is honored to contribute to the National Alliance for Eating Disorders’ mission of raising awareness, reducing stigma, and improving access to treatment and recovery resources for all.