Before joining ABC, Naamal helped nonprofit organizations with strategic planning and with advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion; some of these consulting projects were with the firm Bernuth & Williamson. She is the founder of Mayla, which uses storytelling, partnerships, and events to celebrate and support the diversity of people who protect nature. She also teaches a seminar course on community-engaged research to promote environmental justice at George Washington University. Naamal served for two years as co-president of the DC Environmental Education Consortium. Earlier in her career, she spent nearly a decade at Conservation International, helping staff and partners to identify places and species in most urgent need of conservation. She holds a certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University, a doctorate in Education from George Washington University, a Master's in Environmental Management from the Yale School of the Environment, and a B.A. in Biology and Environmental Studies from Swarthmore College. Naamal was born in Sri Lanka and grew up in Washington, DC.