Note: This podcast was recorded late 2024 and refers to some historic moments that may no longer be relevant.
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Sonali Chandratilake is a seasoned crisis management expert whose 15+ years on the front lines of emergency response have shaped her into a highly experienced voice in New Zealand’s disaster preparedness profession.
As the current Emergency Management and Business Continuity Manager at the University of Canterbury, Sonali brings unparalleled experience from her extensive career spanning local, regional, and national government roles. Her first-hand involvement in some of New Zealand’s most challenging crises – including the devastating Canterbury Earthquakes of 2010/2011, the 2019 Christchurch Mosque Attack, multiple tsunami events, and the COVID-19 pandemic – offers a rare insight into high-stakes decision-making under extreme pressure.
Beyond her professional achievements as a certified Business Continuity Practitioner (CBCI) and active member of the Business Continuity Institute, Sonali’s perspective is uniquely informed by her personal journey. As General Manager of Cleft New Zealand, her advocacy work was driven by her experiences as a parent of a child with cleft lip and palate, demonstrating how personal challenges can shape professional purpose.
Since recording this interview with Sonali, her team at the University of Canterbury has gone on to win two major honours at the 2025 BCI Asia–Pacific Awards – Collaboration in Resilience for their innovative ShakeOut earthquake preparedness campaign, and Most Original Exercise Programme for a year-round Incident Management Team training initiative. Both wins mean UC is now shortlisted for the 2025 BCI Global Awards in London later this year – recognition that underscores the impact and originality of Sonali’s leadership in resilience.
Join us as Sonali shares a pragmatic, action-oriented approach to crisis leadership, drawing from her Master of Science in Hazard and Disaster Management and her mission to empower organisations and communities to thrive in an uncertain world.
Key timestamps
0:00 | Introduction and Guest Background
2:12 | Sonali's Unexpected Path to Emergency Management
9:00 | The SVA Experience as a Foundation
15:13 | Replicating Community Resilience in Organisations
20:08 | Inspiring Employees: Acknowledgment and Validation
26:59 | Transition to a Professional Career Path
32:17 | Balancing Professional Work with Volunteer Passions
36:41 | Challenging the "She'll Be Right" Attitude
41:51 | Real-World Community Preparedness Example
45:56 | Finding Champions and Leaders Setting the Scene
50:43 | The Evolving Role of Technology
59:51 | Social Media: Misinformation, Intelligence, and Trust
1:02:50 | Actionable Steps for Building Personal Resilience
1:03:49 | Book Recommendation & Outro
Key takeaways: The Human Architecture of Emergency Response
After listening to this podcast, you'll discover how emergency management transcends systems and technology to become a deeply human endeavour. The journey from Canterbury's earthquakes reveals a powerful truth: communities naturally mobilise when given the right platform.
The secret isn't found in elaborate preparation but in community connection strengthened before crisis strikes. These relationships (built on belonging and acknowledgment) form the bedrock of resilience when systems fail.
You'll understand why fear-based messaging falls flat while community champions inspire action through relatable solutions.
While technology amplifies our response capabilities, this discussion illuminates why analogue backups remain essential in a digital world, and how social media's intelligence-gathering power must be balanced against misinformation risks.
True leadership emerges not from control but from creating self-sufficient teams through an inclusive culture that honours individual differences - ultimately making oneself "redundant" through empowerment.
Above all, you'll recognise emotional intelligence as the cornerstone of effective crisis navigation, the invisible skill that transforms knowledge into impact and builds personal resilience through community connection.
Reference links
Cleft New Zealand, donate here.
Student Volunteer Army, New Zealand
University of Canterbury, New Zealand
Book recommendation: The Seat of the Soul by Gary Zukav
