Janani Thilakarathne

Janani joined Morphum Environmental in December 2024. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Geography from The University of Auckland and brings over nine years of experience working with private consultancies and government organisations in both Sri Lanka and Aotearoa. Her expertise spans various sectors, including environmental disease control, transportation, utilities, infrastructure, and power transmission.

Her passion for the environment was ignited in her childhood, growing up in a rural Sri Lankan village where families embraced simple living and organic gardening. Janani began her career as a GIS Specialist and Community Coordinator for a non-governmental organisation focused on reducing communicable diseases across South and Southeast Asia. Her work in social awareness and GIS support played a pivotal role in Sri Lanka being declared Malaria-free by the WHO in 2016.

Janani is committed to helping clients navigate environmental challenges by analysing complex data and providing actionable insights. She enjoys guiding clients in utilising GIS technology to improve efficiency and advocating for cost-effective mobile data collection methods.

Outside of her GIS work, Janani is a trained Indian classical singer, taught by her mother from a young age, and an avid sourdough baker. When she is not working, you can find her kneading dough, preparing meals in honour of her grandmother’s recipes, crafting or singing.