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Newsroom Imasha

Dahanayake

talks Public Relations

Imasha Dahanayake started her career at United Airlines in Sri Lanka straight after school as a
Reservations Executive. Later, she moved to the UK to further her studies and was lucky enough to
get a job at the SriLankan Airlines office in London. After spending over 16 years with the national
carrier in the UK, she moved back to Sri Lanka in order to give back to her motherland. Imasha was
very honored when she was offered her current role at the Mount Lavinia Hotel, being one of the
oldest and most iconic hotels in the country.

What does Public relations mean to you? someone else's life positively. I meet and greet our guests and do
Public relations is the heart of any organization and is very critical my best to make their time at the hotel an enjoyable experience and
in the hospitality field. We are a lifestyle choice of the customer I do the same with my team members. You never know what the
and we have to ensure that we stand out in this ever changing other person is going through and your smile and attentiveness can
very competitive field. We have to be as appealing and efficient as make all the difference.
possible to satisfy the customer’s very high expectations when they
visit us. What is the most memorable experience you’ve had
on the job?
Do you face any workplace challenges? Almost a year ago, 'Newsfirst' aired a story of an elderly mother
I am grateful that I found a job where we have great team effort, from Mount Lavinia who has locked up in a dog cage by her
and everyone pitches in so my challenges are at a minimum. If I was children. The lady was malnourished and traumatized. The Women
to pick something it would be trying to educate everyone on the and Child Affairs Department of Mount Lavinia had taken her to the
importance of looking after our planet and doing the little things to Kalubowila Hospital for treatment. Helping the local community is
ensure we don't add to its destruction. The hotel is moving towards a priority of the hotel and the staff likewise. We paid her a visit in
being free of single use plastic by early next year and we are on hospital with some rations, clothes and food. We also offered our
phase 2 of the project at the moment. further assistance to the lady police officer who was in charge of
this case if she needed so. Seeing the smile on her face and the
What do you enjoy most about your job? satisfaction of being able to be there for someone at their most
I love what I do. I enjoy making a positive impact on anyone's vulnerable time is unmeasurable. This is by far the most memorable
life. A smile and good manners are the simplest ways of affecting day during my tenure at the Mount Lavinia Hotel.

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