Read the full stored bill text
MURIELBOWSERMAYOR
February14,2025
TheHonorablePhilMendelson
Chairman,
CounciloftheDistrictofColumbia
JohnA.WilsonBuilding
1350PennsylvaniaAvenue,NW, Suite504
Washington,DC 20004
DearChairmanMendelson:
Inaccordancewithsection2oftheConfirmationActof1978,effectiveMarch3,1979(D.C.Law2-
142;D.C.OfficialCode§ 1-523.01),andpursuanttosection5of theOfficeandCommissionon
NightlifeandCultureEstablishmentActof2018,effectiveDecember13, 2018(D.C.Law 22-191:
D.C.OfficialCode§3-664),|am pleasedtonominatethefollowingindividual:
Mr.VinodaBasnayakeLongfellowStreet,NWWashington,DC 20011
(Ward4)
forreappointmentastheownerofa businessholdinganon-premisesretailer'slicensepursuanttoD.C.
OfficialCode§25-113memberof theCommissiononNightlifeandCulture,foratermtoendMarch
15,2028.
Enclosed,youwillfindbiographicalinformationdetailingtheexperienceoftheabove-mentionednominee,togetherwithaproposedresolutiontoassisttheCouncilduringtheconfirmationprocess.
IwouldappreciatetheCouncil’searliestconsiderationofthisnominationforconfirmation.Pleasedo nothesitatetocontactme,orStevenWalker,Director,Mayor'sOfficeofTalentandAppointments,shouldtheCouncilrequireadditionalinformation.
Sincgrely,
MurfelBolser
Mayr
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
A PROPOSED RESOLUTION
hairman Phil Mendelson
at the request of the Mayor
10 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
11
12
13
14
15 To confirm the reappointment ofVinoda Basnayake to the Commission on Nightlife and Culture.
16
17 RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
18 resolution may be cited as the "Commission on Nightlife and Culture Vinoda Basnayake
19 Confirmation Resolution of 2025".
20 Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia confirms the reappointment of:
21
22 Vinoda Basnayake
23 Longfellow Street, NW
24 Washington, DC 20011
, 25 (Ward 4)
26
27 as the owner of a business holding an on-premises retailer's license pursuant to D.C. Official
28 Code§ 25-113 member of the Commission on Nightlife and Culture, established by D.C. Official
29 Code§ 3-664, for a term to end March 15, 2028.
30 Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia shall transmit a copy of this resolution,
31 upon its adoption, to the nominee and to the Office of the Mayor.
32 Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.
VINODA BASNAYAKE
EXPERIENCE
Versus Equity, Washington DC
Founder, Chief Executive Officer 2023-Present
- Founder and CEO of award-winning multi-vertical lifestyle brand and venture fund
- Oversee portfolio comprised of best-in-class hospitality venues, cutting-edge marketing agency and
innovative venture arm
- Profiled in Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Vanity Fair and numerous other media
Aspiration MENA, Los Angeles
President 2022-2023
- President of the multi-billion dollar leading financial and sustainability services corporation
- Spearheaded Aspiration’s corporate business, offering large and small enterprises, governments and
consumers access to a portfolio of high-quality carbon assets through innovative products, services, and
investments
- Assisted government entities and private businesses in creating bespoke sustainability programs and
structured investments in carbon reduction projects
Nelson Mullins, LLP, Washington DC
Partner, Chair of DC Government Relations 2018- 2022
Of Counsel 2014-2018
- Youngest partner at Nelson Mullins, the 1000+ firm that is the fastest growing law firm in America
- Chair of the firm’s DC government relations practice
- Attorney in the firm’s international public policy practice with a focus on sovereign representation
- Prepared and implemented government relations strategies and political and legal analysis for foreign
governments
Patton Boggs, LLP, Washington DC
Associate, Special Advisor 2008- 2014
- Attorney and advisor in the firm’s government relations practice with a specialty in international public
policy and sovereign representation
- Advised foreign governments on U.S. policy and on how best to enhance their relationships with the U.S.
government and advocate their policy objectives
- Organized and participated in congressional delegations, trade missions, and regional economic
conferences for sovereign clients
International Gateway, International Trade Center, Washington DC
Interim Director 2006
- Liaised with government, diplomatic and business leaders regarding international trade opportunities and
resources
- Developed and directed international trade related activities and seminars focused on U.S. trade promotion
The World Bank, Development Economics Group, Washington DC
Financial Analyst, Junior Professional Associate (JPA) Program 2003-2005
- Selected to highly competitive Junior Professional’s Associate (JPA) Program, which is only open to
graduates in the top 10% of their graduating class in economics or finance
- Projected and forecasted external debt of developing nations using World Bank External Debt Systems
(WBXD) model
- Completed missions to numerous nations to participate in negotiations with the Ministries of Finance of
client countries
PROFESSIONAL HONORS
- Most Influential Washingtonians Under 40, Washington Life Magazine (2010-2022)
- The Hill’s Top Lobbyists, The Hill (2021, 2020)
- 2020 Top Lobbyist, National Institute of Lobbying Ethics (2021)
- Legal 500, United States, Government: Government Relations (2020)
- Top 40 Under 40, Washington Business Journal (2018)
- Washington’s Power 30 Under 30, Apex (2010)
BOARDS & APPOINTMENTS
- Washington Institute for Business, Government and Society, Board of Governors (2019-Present)
- DC Commission on Nightlife and Culture, Chairman of the Board, Appointed by DC’s Mayor Muriel
Bowser (2019- Present)
- Soho House (DC Chapter), Executive Board (2023-Present)
- Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Victory Fund, National Leadership Council (2018-Present)
- DC Vote, Chairman of Board (2016-2021), Executive Board (2011-2021)
- National Children’s Museum, Advisory Council (2019-2021)
- ReOpen DC Advisory Committee, Member, Appointed by DC’s Mayor Bowser (2020)
- National AAPI Leadership Council, Committee for Mike, Mike Bloomberg 2020 (2019)
- Mayor-Elect Muriel Bowser Transition Team, Member (2014)
- CityCenterDC Residential Advisory Committee, Representative, Appointed by Councilmember Muriel
Bowser (2013)
- DC Small and Local Business Commission, Commissioner, Appointed by DC Mayor Adrian Fenty
(2010)
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
- Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, Innovative Ways to Mobilize Finance for Sustainable Impact-
Panelist, Abu Dhabi, UAE (January 19, 2023)
- Abu Dhabi Finance Week, Building Sustainable Capital Markets- Panelist, Abu Dhabi,
UAE (November 18, 2022)
- Milken Institute Middle East and Africa Summit, Investment Opportunities to Enhance Climate
Resilience- Moderator, Dubai, UAE (November 17, 2022)
- Egypt Sustainable Technology Forum, Financing Structures for Investments in Sustainable Projects-
Panelist, Cairo, Egypt (September 14, 2022)
- The 117th Congress and the First 100 Days of the Biden Administration – Panelist, Washington DC
(Feb. 16, 2021)
- Post-Election Wrap-Up: Insight into Where this Leaves the Country- Panelist, Washington DC
(November 5, 2020)
EDUCATION
University of Pennsylvania Law School, J.D., May 2008
Wharton School of Business, Certificate of Business & Public Policy, May 2008
Honors: Senior Editor, Journal of International Law
President, International Law Organization
Recipient, Waseda Scholarship to study Corporate Governance in Tokyo
Recipient, Penn Law Global Justice Fellowship to study transition in El Salvador
Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business, B.S.B.A., cum laude, June 2003
Double Major: Finance and International Business, Double Minor: Philosophy and Sociology
Honors: R ecipient of 2003 Georgetown University’s Outstanding Student Leader Award
Recipient of 2003 Dean’s Citation, Outstanding Contribution to Campus Community
Selected by graduating class as 2003 Student Graduation Speaker
Deans List Honors (all semesters)
Only double major/ double minor to graduate cum laude
Alpha Kappa Delta (Sociology Honor Society)
Oxford University, Trinity College, Summer 2002
Study Abroad Program in Corporate Strategic Management
Executive Office of the Mayor – Mayor’s Office of Talent and Appointments
John A. Wilson Building | 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 600 | Washington, DC 20004
Vinoda Basnayake
Mr. Vinoda Basnayake is the founder and CEO of Versus Equity, an
award winning multi-vertical lifestyle brand with best-in-class hospitality
venues, a cutting-edge marketing agency and an innovative venture arm.
He is ranked in the Legal 500, was ranked as Top 40 under 40 by the
Washington Business Journal, and was named Most Influential Under 40
for the past seven years by Washington Life Magazine. Mr. Basnayake
and his business ventures have also been profiled in Complex, Vanity
Fair, GQ, Washingtonian, Page Six, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post
and numerous other international publications.
Mr. Basnayake has been nominated and confirmed for numerous political
appointments. In 2020, he was appointed to be the first Chairman of the Mayor’s Commission on
Nightlife and Culture of Washington DC by Mayor Muriel Bowser. He was previously appointed
Commissioner of the Small and Local Business Opportunity Commission for DC by former Mayor
Adrian Fenty. He also served on Mayor Muriel Bowser's Transition Team for Economic
Development and was named to the ReOpen DC Advisory Committee for safe reopening during
the pandemic.
Mr. Basnayake also sits on numerous nonprofit and political boards. He was formerly the
Chairman of the Board of DC Vote and sits on the boards of the Washington Institute, the Asian
American Pacific Islander Victory Fund, Planet Reimagined, Soho House (Washington, DC
Committee) and the National Children's Museum.
A Ward 4 resident, Mr. Basnayake earned his Bachelor’s in Business Administration from
Georgetown University and his Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania.
GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Executive Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser
Office of the General Counsel to the Mayor
______________________________________________________________________________
The John A. Wilson Building • 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW • Suite 300 • Washington, D.C. 20004 • Office (202) 724-7681
To: Kimberly A. Bassett, Steve Walker
From: Betsy Cavendish
Date: January 31, 2025
Subject: Legal sufficiency review of a resolution appointing Vinoda Basnayake as a
member of the Commission on Nightlife and Culture
This is to Certify that this office has reviewed the above-referenced Order and found
it to be legally unobjectionable. If you have any questions in this regard, please do not hesitate
to call Michael Porcello, Deputy General Counsel, Executive Office of the Mayor, at 202-727-
0872, or me at 202-724-7681.
______________________________
Elizabeth Cavendish