With over 20 years of experience working with international NGOs, agencies, social enterprises and purpose driven organisations, Helen has a deep-rooted understanding of the inner workings of philanthropy, what it does well, and what it does not.  Recognised for investing in 50+ social impact founders and entities throughout all stages of development, including strategy, fundraising, service provision, people management, and leadership development.

Helen has spent the past two decades working to make philanthropy better, over half of that time working with the Shuttleworth Foundation, an organisation that provided million dollar Fellowships for people engaged in social change and helping them have a sustained impact.

Educated in Europe, South America and the Middle East, Helen now lives in the UK after many years in South Africa. She has a truly internationalist perspective and has developed programmes and organisations all over the world. She holds several major board positions including for the Mozilla Foundation, the Open Knowledge Foundation and several for-profit entities. Helen is a regular public speaker at events – such as the Creative Commons Global Summit and the Paris Peace Forum – where she promotes openness and administrative justice as integral tools to democratise philanthropy and improve societies, education and economies everywhere.

Helen is a Partner in Philanthropy Matters, an organisation that leads philanthropic thinking that leverages the power of open collaboration and innovation to drive positive social change.

As the landscape of philanthropy is evolving, Philanthropy Matters can help amplify your impact by designing working frameworks and supporting your vision for more effective giving.