Our Core Team
Our core clinical team is drawn from within Sri Lanka and internationally. Experts in psychology, psychiatry, counselling and nursing bring a deep understanding of and experienced approach to the challenges of addiction, mental health, and trauma.
Nadine Winter
Clinical Director
Nadine, is from New Zealand and holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Addictions and Co-existing Disorders from Otago University. She is a registered AOD practitioner and Clinical Supervisor with a New Zealand body of AOD counsellors. She has experience across various treatment modalities, including CBT, DBT, Motivational Interviewing, and Therapeutic Community models. Her career spans leading roles in private and non-governmental rehabilitation centres.
Professor Shehan Williams
Advisory Psychiatrist
Professor Shehan Williams specialises in General Adult Psychiatry with an emphasis on addiction and dual diagnosis. With credentials like MBBS (Jaffna) and FRCPsych (UK), he has advanced understanding in South Asian psychiatric contexts, especially addiction and co-morbidities. He is also the editor of the South Asian Journal of Psychiatry.
Dr Nelusha Chamindi
Medical Doctor
Dr Nelusha brings a wealth of experience as a medical practitioner. She has over 15 years of expertise in leading quality assurance and risk management initiatives in hospitals across Sri Lanka. Her diverse background in medicine and business administration equips her to effectively drive excellence in healthcare standards and patient care at The Sapphire.
Dr Roshan Fernando
Consultant Psychiatrist
Dr. Roshan Fernando, MBBS, MD Psychiatry, is a consultant psychiatrist and senior lecturer, specializing in General Adult Psychiatry in Sri Lanka. Awarded the Professor Andrew Sims Gold Medal for Psychiatry by the University of Colombo, he offers extensive clinical expertise in treating various mental health conditions, including addiction disorders.
Afra Jameel
Clinical Psychologist
Afra is a Clinical Psychologist holding a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Psychology from Coventry University, UK, and an MPhil in Clinical Psychology from the University of Colombo. She specializes in various therapeutic modalities, including CBT, DBT, interpersonal therapy, ACT, trauma-focused CBT, and narrative exposure therapy.
Navneth Mendis
Clinical Psychologist
Navneth is a Clinical Psychologist and EMDR practioner with a special interest in working with survivors of trauma, including adverse childhood experiences. Other therapeutic modalities used include CBT, DBT and ACT. He is a trained psychological first-aid provider and trainer. He is also a lecturer and the current president of the Sri Lanka EMDR association.
Rashmi Kavindya
Naturalist & Mindfulness Coach
As a dedicated naturalist, Rashmi has extensive experience in forest and wildlife conservation projects across Sri Lanka’s national parks, with a strong focus on wildlife species identification, ecology, and behaviour. Additionally, she brings mindfulness experience and likes to combine her nature expertise with mindfulness practices to support clients with their recovery, enriching our holistic approach to mental wellbeing.
David Swannell
Chairman
David is a graduate of Oxford and Cambridge Universities and had a career in investment banking in London, at banks including SG Warburg, and ended as Head of Europe for a ASX 100 global financial services group. He moved to Sri Lanka in 2008 and has involvements in hotels, restaurants and wellness centres.
Luke Boobbyer
Business & Operations Director
Luke is a dynamic marketing and operations professional. Skilled in business strategy, managing teams and forging high-impact partnerships, he brings a unique blend of expertise. Driven by a passion for mental health, Luke is committed to ensuring our clients stays exceed expectations, while at the same time building trusted collaborations with leading professionals & organisations in the recovery field.