Harshi L. Hettige

I am most inspired by storytelling and collaborating with creatives for social good.

Growing up surrounded by stories in the Philippines, the US, and Sri Lanka fostered my passion for social issues, travel, and capturing experiences. My family of artists and teachers taught me that intentional words and visuals are equally valuable for effectively sharing a message.

In my 13+ years of working in 13 countries across Africa, Asia, Central America, the UK, and the US, I became skilled in project management, cross-cultural communication, and creative ideation. The best ideas come in conversation so I embrace collaboration in every role. There’s nothing better than serving communities creatively and laughing with a team while doing it.

I led the ONE Campaign’s Brand team for years, managing the creative vision and tone of high-profile, award-winning public health advocacy campaigns globally and locally. I prioritized intentional tone & visual direction and authentic storytelling, leading to improved content performance.

Since obtaining an MPA in International Public & Nonprofit Management & Policy from NYU’s Wagner School of Public Service in 2012, I have contributed to projects around the world — from large-scale ventures like the Bill & Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health to community organizations in Guatemala and Sri Lanka.

I have served as an editor for manuscripts, provided digital content direction for a podcast, published a blog, developed unique travel guides, and continue to write poetry and prose.

Storytelling is a journey — identifying the why, brainstorming the how, conceptualizing the design, storyboarding and fleshing it out, collaborating with other creatives to bring it to life, polishing the nuances, and sharing it with the ideal audience. I love it all.

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