Hiruni Fernando

Commercial Operations Coordinator at Wharton Global

Newcastle Upon Tyne, England, United Kingdom

About

A confident, hard working, and resilient BSc Psychology graduate from Newcastle University. Skilled in both written and verbal communication, with wide-ranging paid and unpaid experience across research, leadership, and public engagement roles.

Experience

  • Commercial Operations Coordinator at Wharton Global
    Apr 2026 - Present · 4 mos

  • Youth Engagement Assistant at Anthony Nolan
    Sep 2025 - Mar 2026 · 7 mos

    As a Youth Engagement Assistant, I support Anthony Nolan’s university programme (Marrow) and wider Register Development team to grow and diversify the Anthony Nolan stem cell register. We do this through youth-focused donor recruitment, volunteer support, event delivery, and communications across universities, schools, and community partners.

  • The Tab (Freelance · 2 yrs 6 mos)
    • Social Media Editor
      Jun 2024 - Jun 2025 · 1 yr 1 mo

    • Features Editor
      Jun 2023 - Jun 2024 · 1 yr 1 mo

      - I have continued to write my own fun and creative feature pieces for the Newcastle Tab. - Recently I have focused on covering more news stories such as the pro-Palestine protests on campus and Plant-Based Universities motion. - I also work alongside the Editors-in-Chief to edit and publish submissions from the wider Newcastle team. - Additionally, I oversee and create entertaining, eye-catching social media content for @thetabnewcastle's Instagram page which has a following of almost 20,000 students.

    • Content Writer
      Jan 2023 - Jun 2023 · 6 mos

      In my second year at University I began writing for The Newcastle Tab team alongside my studies. I strive to write funny, exciting and engaging articles tailored to Newcastle and Northumbria University students.

  • Sounding Board Member at Unite Foundation
    Feb 2024 - Jun 2025 · 1 yr 5 mos

    I am a member of the All of Us Sounding Board. All of Us is a community for estranged and care-experienced students in partnership with the Unite Foundation. I meet regularly with the All of Us Programme Manager to help guide the direction, growth, and connectedness of the community.

  • Newcastle University (1 yr 7 mos)
    • EDI Project Worker
      Dec 2023 - Dec 2024 · 1 yr 1 mo

      Alongside my placement year working in EDI, I was offered a paid position on an active EDI project, to continue developing and editing a handbook for SAgE faculty PGR students.

    • EDI Team Placement Student
      Sep 2023 - Jul 2024 · 11 mos

      I worked with both the Faculty of Medical Sciences and Science, Agriculture and Engineering Faculty EDI teams across my placement year. I was responsible for organising events and meetings, designing and distributing faculty newsletters, carrying out interviews, surveys and questionnaires, keeping communication channels up to date, and designing educational EDI activities for faculty events.

    • Junior Research Assistant
      Jun 2023 - Oct 2023 · 5 mos

      After assisting on a research project in a Stage 2 Psychology module, I was offered a summer internship to continue collecting and analysing data. It was hugely beneficial for me to gain first hand experience of conducting psychological research, ahead of my dissertation.