Studied at Witwaterstrand University South Africa, King’s College London, Yad Vashem, Israel and the Centre for Holocaust Studies at the Institute of Education London.
A career in teaching culminated in becoming Headteacher of Watford Grammar School for Girls. She has been an External Advisor to School Governors, an Executive Mentor to a number of Headteachers, and Educational Advisor for the Schools Regional Commissioner.
Helen is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and the Imperial War Museum. She is a Trustee of the National Holocaust Centre and Museum, the Holocaust Education Trust, an advisor to the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust. She chaired the education work stream for the Prime Minister’s Holocaust Commission.
Helen is a Patron of the Rwandan Sisterhood working with survivors of the genocide and deprived women in Kigali, and supporting deprived women in Zimbabwe.
With the Vicar of Watford, she has set up the Refugee to Recovery Forum assisting immigrants in the local community.
In 2020 she became a Patron and active Trustee of One Vision, a charity working with all religions to support the most vulnerable in Hertfordshire.
In 2012, Helen was made Dame Commander of the British Empire for services to national education and Holocaust education.