Shirmila Cooray

Director of Development
Email: shirmila_cooray@demarillac.org
Extension: 400

Shirmila Cooray joined De Marillac in 2020 from the Center for Youth Wellness where she partnered with Founder and California's first Surgeon General, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, as the lead frontline fundraiser. With over ten years of experience and expertise in nonprofit operations, events, committee management and major gifts fundraising, she is passionate about creating strategies that develop solid and rewarding major gift programs. Shirmila believes in building lasting, authentic relationships with donors to acquire transformational gifts.

Prior to Center for Youth Wellness, she held various fundraising positions at UNICEF USA, The Asia Foundation, the National Democratic Institute, the Brookings Institution and the U.S. Campaign for Burma. Shirmila holds a bachelor's degree from Colby College and a master's degree in nonprofit management from the University of San Francisco. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, she now lives in Bayview Hunters Point with her husband and two daughters.