MEETING: Michelle Helman

Michelle Helman, PhD, believes that positive social change happens through relationships. She supports organizations to design, implement, and evaluate innovative solutions at the intersection of environment, health, and education. To do so, Michelle draws from her peace innovation research and over twenty years of experience partnering with leaders on global, community-led initiatives with a focus on Latin America and the USA. Michelle is bilingual in English and Spanish which she learned to speak during her Peace Corps service in Perú. She will be presenting about peace design and social innovation.

Rotary Background

• ​Rotary Peace Fellowship: Completed her Rotary Peace Fellowship at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, earning an M.A. in Peace and Conflict Studies. Her sponsoring club was the Rotary Club of Portland (District 5100), and her host club was Ashgrove/The Gap (District 9600).
• ​Applied Field Experience: Focused her Rotary field research in Colombia, examining everyday peacebuilding, research evaluation, and the implementation of the 2016 Colombian Peace Accords.

​Professional & Academic Work

• ​Consulting & Leadership: Founder of Michelle Helman Consulting, advising organizations, civic leaders, and non-profits on conflict transformation, restorative justice, cross-cultural dialogue, and organizational change.
• ​Education & Research: Holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Peace and Conflict Studies and a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology. She has served as affiliate faculty at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University and as a Senior Fellow at Portland State University’s Center for Public Service.
• ​International & Community Projects: Facilitated dialogue programs involving ex-combatants in Colombia (including work with the Rafting for Peaceinitiative), directed youth and public health initiatives in Central America, and conducted community safety and participatory evaluations across the Pacific Northwest.