Helen is a psychiatrist and public health physician with interests in promoting mental health and community mental health care. She is Professor Emerita of Psychiatry at Orygen and the Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne.

Previously she was Professor and Director of Psychiatry in St. Vincent’s Health Melbourne.

Since 2000 she has worked as director of the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre in mental health Melbourne and for a year acted as regional advisor in mental health for the WHO’s Western Pacific Region. She was elected president of the World Psychiatric Association 2017-2020.

She is appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for contributions to national and international mental health.