Shalini Wickramatilake, DrPH, MHS is the Director of Federal Policy & Partnerships at the Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance. A public health leader and policy expert, she has spent her career advancing mental health, substance use, and maternal health policy and strengthening systems of care at the federal, state, and local levels.

Dr. Wickramatilake 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. Earlier in her career, she held policy leadership roles focused on maternal mental health and substance use policy.

She earned her Doctor of Public Health and Master of Health Science degrees from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her doctoral research examined how state governments are addressing eating disorders, with a particular focus on prevention, treatment access, and systems coordination. Her research and policy work have deepened her commitment to advancing evidence-based approaches to eating disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery.

Dr. Wickramatilake also brings lived experience in eating disorder recovery to her advocacy and policy work. She is passionate about reducing stigma, strengthening systems of care, and ensuring that people affected by eating disorders have access to timely, evidence-based treatment and meaningful support. She is honored to contribute to the National Alliance for Eating Disorders’ mission to raise awareness, improve access to care, and support recovery.