Lena Ashok, is a Social Worker by profession with 30 years of experience in teaching and practice. She is currently designated as an Associate Professor and Co-ordinator of the social work program at the Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal University, Manipal. She has been involved in the Global Health Programme since 2011 and has actively contributed as a resource person providing training sessions on qualitative methods and orienting visiting students on field work. Manipal University also offers Social Work electives for GH students from Maastricht University which she co-ordinates and facilitates.

She is a recognized PhD guide and is a member on advisory boards for PhD students and for post-graduate programs in sister organizations. She continues to mentor post-graduate research given her passion for teaching and research. She is also actively involved in several community-based programs in schools, governmental and non-governmental organizations.

Her research interests are in the field of maternal and child health as well as adolescent health. She is part of several ongoing research projects funded by premier Indian institutions such as the Indian Council of Medical Research and the Indian Council of Social Science Research and has published 23 papers in peer reviewed national and international journals. In her present assignment, besides academic responsibilities, she is involved in three nationally and internationally funded projects under the University.

After completing under-graduation in Psychology and post-graduation in Social Work Program with specialization in Medical and Psychiatric Social Work from the School of Social Work Roshni Nilaya, Mangalore University, India, she took up the role of a social worker in the Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal. She was involved as an important team member in almost all the programmes of the department including training of undergraduate medical students, interns and the postgraduates of the department.