Helena is a movement builder, bridge builder, and changemaker. With over 25 years of experience at the intersection of philanthropy, grassroots advocacy, and public policy, she brings a rare combination of strategic vision, on-the-ground experience, and collaborative leadership to every team she joins.

She has held senior roles at the Open Society Foundations and the JEHT Foundation, and most recently served as Director of the Art for Justice Fund, a groundbreaking $125M initiative housed at the Ford Foundation, using the power of art to disrupt mass incarceration. In these roles, Helena has mobilized millions in philanthropic dollars to support systems change, culture change, and the next generation of social justice leaders.

Earlier in her career, Helena co-founded Oregon Voice, the state’s first nonpartisan civic engagement table, and later supported the growth of State Voices, a national network of state-based democracy hubs. She has served on philanthropic boards including the Northwest Health Foundation, Proteus Fund, and the Ohio Transformation Fund, where she helped shape strategies to advance racial justice, public health, and democracy reform.

In 2024, Helena served as a senior philanthropic advisor to the Movement Voter Project where she developed pilot projects leveraging arts and culture as vehicles for voter participation and democratic engagement.

She holds a bachelor’s in social policy from Cornell University and a master’s in public affairs from Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA).

Helena loves nothing more than eating while walking.  She lives in New York City with her husband, Robe, their pup Obie, and her daughter, Lu, and her husband, who are just across the East River.