True, personal stories are remarkably economical in conveying complex messages in graspable ways. Behind Your Mask was set up as a storytelling consultancy to help individuals, businesses, communities, and the general public through media harness the power of personal stories to educate, engage, inspire, and heal.

Founder Dr Lalith Wijedoru is a former consultant paediatrician in emergency medicine from the UK’s National Health Service (NHS). He championed staff stories as a way to support staff wellbeing during times of organizational crisis including the global pandemic and Black Lives Matter. He now works full-time across all work sectors helping people craft and share their true personal stories in audio, audio-visual, and written formats.

A lot of the work of Behind Your Mask is in the diversity, equity, and inclusion space. Stories of clients can directly reflect life’s uncomfortable truths in terms of discrimination, but also celebrate and illum the breadth of protected characteristics, identity, and intersectionality.

Lalith has spoken at the Association for the Advancement of International Education, the World Education Summit, the International Baccalaureate Organization, and works with the Educational Collaborative for International Schools. He works with schools both in the UK and overseas as a storyteller, facilitator, and external consultant.

Behind Your Mask is a Strategic Partner of the All-In Diversity Project.

Behind Your Mask was recognised by the Welldoing Inspiration Awards (2024).

Lalith features in podcasts talking about diversity, including Emmy Award-winning US TV chat show host Montel Williams’ ‘Free Thinking’ podcast. He also highlights diversity and inclusion topics in his contributions to the NHS@70 oral history project.