Helen is a design academic working across scales from the curation of ideas through text and exhibitions, to the design of buildings and urban environments. Helen studied architecture at the University of Queensland before moving to Tasmania for a year, 18 years ago. Helen teaches in the School of Architecture & Design at the University of Tasmania, and is also writer and architectural critic. In 2014 she was one of the Creative Directors of the Australian Institute of Architects National Conference, which explored MAKING: life culture, connections and impact.

Helen is the founder of the Regional Urban Studies Laboratory (RUSL pronounced Russell), a collaborative urban design research project that engages directly with local councils and communities to examine urban spatial, temporal and social issues in small towns and cities. RUSL develops research through the medium of design, examining urban issues in new ways, utilising processes of mapping, auditing, research and speculation to reveal productive relationships and opportunities.