Leader of the TEEB for Business project in Brazil. Helena works with private companies and other key stakeholders in Brazil and Latin America to help mainstreaming biodiversity into corporate management and decision making process.

Currently, she holds the position of Development Director for the America Division within Conservation International.

Previously, Helena worked in consultancy company on the assessment of environmental impacts from large infrastructure projects in Brazil.

In 2005, Helena moved to Cambridge, UK to work for the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) on a wide range of issues, including protected areas, biodiversity information management and the convention on biological diversity.

In 2009, she was out posted to Brazil to coordinate UNEP-WCMC´s activities in the Latin American and Caribbean Region. Amongst those, was the coordination of the TEEB and Green Economy activities and projects in Brazil.

In early 2011 Helena left UNEP-WCMC and joined Conservation International to work as Environmental Policy Manager. In February 2012 she was promoted to the position of Director for Corporate Relations and within CI-Brasil and has also been selected as the recipient of the 2012 Terry McManus Business & Conservation Partnership Award, in recognition of her diligent work and persistent leadership in building strong relationships with companies across many sectors for Conservation International.

She holds a Bachelors degree in Biology from the University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), a Masters degree in Environment, Society and Development from the University of Cambridge (UK) and a Diploma in International Environmental Diplomacy and Law-making from the University of Kwazulu-Natal (South Africa).