Deepthi Welaratna is a writer, musician, and consultant. She is currently working on her first novel, Lions Among Us.

Her writing has appeared in outlets like KQED Public Media, Stanford Social Innovation Review, and the International Documentary Association. She wrote the foreword to The Art of Voting (2020) and is a contributor to Communities Creating Health (2015).

As a musician, her project Dark Spring Thunder has been featured on Queensland’s longest running FM radio station 4ZZZ. As part of other bands, she has performed at The Bowery Electric, Silvana, and The Town Hall in New York. Her creative direction and sound and video design have been on display at venues including the Mark Miller Gallery and Dixon Place in New York.

In 2014, she founded Thicket, a data-driven design lab and technology startup that supported the delivery of innovation programs serving millions worldwide. Thicket operated until 2019. During that time, the company was featured in Fast Company, USA Today, Environmental Leader, at NY Tech Meetup, and at SXSW Interactive two years running, as well as in many other public forums.

Deepthi has spoken at institutions including the National Academy of Medicine, SXSW Interactive, the American Evaluation Association, and Parsons School of Design. She has provided training in communications, strategic planning, and social entrepreneurship for organizations including the British Museum, the California Endowment, the Knowledge House, and NYC.gov.

She holds an M.A. in Media Studies from The New School and a B.A. in English from San Jose State University.