Sawani Goonatilleke currently serves as the Assistant Director of Sustainability at the University of California, Merced, where she supports campus-wide efforts to advance climate action, operational sustainability, and student-centered environmental leadership. Her work is driven by the belief that universities are living laboratories places where sustainability is not only planned, but practiced, measured, and experienced every day.She brings a strong background in sustainability strategy, green building, and project management across higher education, real estate, and consulting.

Previously, she managed LEED and GreenPoint Rated projects for affordable housing developments across California and supported corporate and institutional clients in developing and implementing sustainability strategies. Her experience includes ESG benchmarking, climate resiliency assessments, stakeholder engagement, and translating complex sustainability goals into actionable plans.She holds an MBA in Management and a B.S. in Sustainability Studies from the University of California, Riverside, and is a LEED Green Associate, Certified Green Building Professional, and Fitwel Ambassador.

She is passionate about equity-centered sustainability, data-driven decision-making, and mentoring the next generation of climate leaders. She thrives at the intersection of strategy, implementation, and collaboration working to ensure sustainability initiatives create real, lasting impact.