Young Lankan plays key role for New Jersey Governor
When Sri Lanka’s United Nations Mission celebrated the country’s 71st Independence Day in New Jersey last week, one of the political highlights was a message--a first for Sri Lanka-- from New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.
But the Governor, who extended his apologies for his absence from the event, was represented by a youthful-looking, 32-year-old American of Sri Lankan origin -- Mahen Gunaratna -- who holds a key position as Murphy’s Communications Director -- another first for Sri Lanka.
In a statement, read out by Mr. Gunaratna, Mr. Murphy said, “The State of New Jersey takes great pride in the fact that it is home to one of the largest Sri Lankan populations in the country, enhancing the Jersey experience through its many brilliant contributions to our social and economic fabric.
“Today’s event serves as a unique opportunity to recognise and honour the culture, history and traditions of Asia’s oldest democracy.”
Mr. Gunaratna is a former Deputy Communications Director to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and, prior to that, worked as the Mayor’s Research Director and as an aide to his mayoral campaign.
A product of the prestigious Georgetown University in Washington DC, Mr. Gunaratna has superlative credentials and may have been the first Sri Lankan-American to work at the White House -- if Hillary Clinton had won the last presidential election.
In 2016, he served as Florida Communications Director for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign and as Florida Press Secretary and Connecticut Press Secretary during the primary. In 2012, he worked as New Mexico and Arizona Communications Director for “Obama for America”, serving as the President’s regional spokesman for the Southwest.
He is also a former Communications Director to Congresswoman Frederica Wilson (Democrat-Florida) and Press Secretary to Congressman Kendrick Meek (D-FL). In 2010, he served as Research Director to Congressman Meek’s campaign for the US Senate.
Mr. Gunaratna is the son of Shiranee and Mithila Gunaratna, a hard-core Royalist, and well-known among his generation at Royal College.
Meanwhile, the event itself, which drew more than 800 Sri Lankan expatriates, was also attended by Thomas Lankey, Mayor of Edison, and Congressman Frank Pallone of New Jersey who was instrumental in establishing the first Congressional Caucus on Sri Lanka in October 1998, and served as Co-chair for 10 consecutive years.