Meet our New Marketing Executive: Himee Senanayake

Hi everyone! I’m Himee, and I am beyond excited to join Women in Tech SEO as the new Marketing Executive. I’d love to share a little bit about my story with you all: where I’ve come from, how I discovered WTS, and why this journey has felt like fate from the very beginning.

Career interest journey

Psychology

Surprisingly, my career actually started in Psychology! When I was 16, I had no idea what I wanted to do, but I loved Psychology because of all the human elements to it. I loved being able to connect with people and understand how we think and behave on a deeper level, it all truly fascinated me.

Creative subjects

However, I realised that throughout school I always excelled in creative subjects like Photography, Graphic Design and Art and I was only ever at the top of my class for these classes. That creativity transpired in many different ways, from YouTube to managing One Direction fan accounts.

These are some photos I used for my Final Project during Photography A Level.

YouTube

When I was nine, I started a YouTube channel where I’d paint my nails and try out different nail art designs. I built a makeshift tripod out of a stack of books, filmed my hands while I painted everything from Christmas reindeers to mastering the art of water marbling, and then edited them on iMovie and uploaded it all.

Social media

When I was 12, I had a One Direction fan page dedicated to Niall Horan where I would post daily updates, schedule content in my head, and think strategically about what my followers wanted to see. That was probably the first time I ever flexed my social media muscle, and I loved it. I didn’t know it at the time, but those little projects were building my confidence, my storytelling skills, and my love for sharing something I had made with the world.

Journey to marketing

Degree in Psychology

When the time came to choose a degree, I followed my curiosity and studied Psychology at university.

To be completely honest, it was not easy for me.

I struggled a lot with the academic side of things including the complex terminology and the heavy statistics. I kept going and after a lot of hard work and sleepless nights I eventually graduated with a 2:1!

Looking back now, I’m proud that I persevered because it taught me resilience, discipline, and the importance of asking for help when you need it.

Shift to marketing

Just before graduation, I unfortunately suffered a serious ankle dislocation that left me unable to walk for four months. It was one of the hardest times of my life both physically and mentally. I had just moved to Sheffield, which meant I spent that entire summer away from my friends, feeling isolated and stuck.

But in that stillness, something shifted. I realised I had to take control of what I wanted my future to look like.

I’d always been drawn to creativity, but I also loved research, strategy, and understanding people. During those months of recovery, I started exploring marketing as a potential career path. To see if it was truly right for me, I threw myself into a couple of online internships, and I absolutely loved them. It felt like I had finally found a path that tied all my passions together.

Level 3 digital marketing course

Last August, I enrolled in a Level 3 Digital Marketing course to formalise my skills. Throughout the course, I consistently received positive feedback on my creativity, ideas and strategic thinking.

To be honest, I had never received so much academic validation in my life. It just solidified to me that THIS is what I’m meant to do.

One of the most exciting parts of my qualification was creating my mock brand, Koi Glow.

It was an inclusive and diverse makeup brand where I developed full brand guidelines, designed logos and mock products too. I even mapped out a product launch campaign with email and paid social ideas! It was the first time I’d taken a brand from concept to strategy and it made me fall in love with all aspects of marketing.

Looking back, I can see how much Koi Glow reflected the values WTS have, which makes it feel even more special!

Some Koi Glow mock products.

During my course, I also started volunteering with Hammersley Homes, a charity supporting adults with enduring mental health challenges.

They trusted me to manage their social media, which meant scheduling posts, designing graphics in Canva, and creating content that highlighted their mission and services. This was such a valuable experience as it allowed me to combine my psychology background with my growing marketing knowledge.

It gave me a safe space to experiment, learn, and refine my skills in a real world setting. I’m still incredibly grateful to Hammersley Homes for giving me that opportunity and for believing in me when I was just starting out.

Finding WTS

In February this year, my lovely friend Amelia Miles told me she was going to WTSFest London and asked if I could find a way to join her.At the time, I was regularly travelling from Sheffield to London for networking events, doing everything I could to build my circle and break into the industry.

When Amelia told me about WTSFest, I was immediately intrigued. I started looking through past events and was blown away by the incredible community Areej had built.

I knew I had to be there.

I decided to message Areej directly to ask if there was any way I could get a scholarship ticket and to my surprise, she didn’t even hesitate. She immediately offered me one! I felt so honoured and excited that someone I admired was giving me the chance to be part of something so incredible.

When I finally got to experience WTSFest in person, it completely exceeded my expectations.

From the moment I arrived, I felt comfortable, welcome, and safe - even though I barely knew anything about SEO beyond what I’d learnt in my course.

Not once did I feel like I didn’t belong there.

Seeing all these brilliant people share their stories and speak so proudly about their work lit a fire in me. It made me want to keep going, to build a career that I could be proud of too.

Even at the networking drinks afterwards, everyone was so kind and generous with their time. No one cared that I was unemployed or that I wasn’t technically working in SEO yet.

Everyone just wanted to connect, share knowledge, and help me grow.

That sense of belonging and support was so rare and so precious to me at that time. It was at WTSFest that I truly realised how powerful a community can be in the marketing world. The WTS Way embodies everything I value in a space: inclusivity, empowerment, and encouragement. I left that day feeling inspired, motivated, and determined to keep going.

WTS Fest this year!

Moment of Fate

On the day I applied for this role, I had written my #OpenToWork post on LinkedIn just ten minutes before Areej shared that she and Erin were hiring.

When I saw that post, I knew instantly that this was the opportunity I had been waiting for.

The job description was everything I had been working so hard toward and a chance to combine my creativity, strategy, and love of community while contributing to a space I already admired so much.

From my first message to Areej asking for a scholarship ticket, to my first LinkedIn post being about WTS, to all the jobs I knew didn’t feel right when I applied - THIS felt right.

Looking Ahead

I feel incredibly lucky to have been chosen for this role, and my first few days have been brilliant. From the very beginning, Areej and Erin have gone above and beyond to make me feel part of the team, and their attention to detail and support has already made such a difference.

Having reflected on my journey, every step has led me here. I feel more inspired than ever to contribute to WTS, to help grow and support this amazing community, and to bring my skills, ideas, and heart to everything I do.

I hope to make you all proud as the new Marketing Executive, to continue learning and growing alongside this incredible team, and to share my journey with all of you wonderful people.

I’d love to continue to connect with folks in the WTS community and marketing industry - you can find me on WTS Slack or connect with me on LinkedIn!