Mandy Gunasekara, wife of Surya Gunasekara—a man of Sri Lankan descent—is reportedly being considered for an environmental position in President-elect Donald Trump’s upcoming cabinet. Mandy, whose full name is Amanda McGrevey Gunasekara, previously served as Chief of Staff of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Trump administration. The EPA is the primary institution overseeing environmental protection in the United States.
Analysts predict Mandy may be appointed to a senior role within the EPA or even nominated as the head of the agency. She adopted the Gunasekara surname after marrying Surya Gunasekara, the son of a Sri Lankan father and an American mother.
Mandy Gunasekara and her husband, Surya Gunasekara, are prominent professionals with backgrounds in environmental policy and crypto regulation, respectively. Mandy, a Republican strategist and environmental attorney, has held key roles, including Chief of Staff at the EPA under the Trump administration, where she was influential in policies like the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord. She continues to work in conservative environmental policy and media roles in Mississippi, where the family has returned after living in Washington, D.C. for over a decade.
Surya Gunasekara, also an attorney, has established a career in tax law and cryptocurrency policy. He is the co-founder of the Satoshi Action Fund and Section VII Strategies, which focuses on compliance and lobbying for crypto clients. He also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Mississippi School of Law, blending his legal expertise with his work in blockchain innovation.
Together, Mandy and Surya have two children: a son, Rico Rhyder, and a daughter, Annabelle Scout. Mandy grew up in Mississippi, and her family, including her father, who served in the military, influenced her sense of civic duty, shaping her career in public service and conservative advocacy.
