Helen is a senior business, technology, and ecosystem strategist with more than two decades of experience operating at the intersection of culture, commerce, and complex systems. After spending a decade in C-suite leadership roles across the music, audio, and distribution industries, Helen is now the Co-Founder of Mentor Academy, a platform built to demystify creative industries and give emerging talent access to real-world knowledge from those actively shaping them. A Decade Inside the Industry. For more than ten years, Helen worked alongside the Australian music industry from the inside, collaborating with global brands, artist ambassadors, pro audio integrators, backline hire teams, production partners, venue operators, and festival promoters. She has worked with teams representing some of the world’s leading music and audio brands such as Gibson, Ibanez, Orange, Adamson, JBL, AKG, ESP, Universal Audio, Korg and more, witnessing firsthand how innovation, resilience, and collaboration keep the industry moving forward even under pressure. Through this work, Helen gained a rare panoramic view of how the ecosystem truly functions: from product and technology to touring, live production, logistics, education, and community. She saw the ingenuity required to keep venues alive, the constant reinvention demanded of festival promoters, and the often-invisible labour behind creative success. Why Mentor Academy Exists. During this time, Helen also saw something else, something deeply personal. While supporting talented people around her, and navigating the industry on behalf of loved ones, she encountered the same problem again and again: there was no clear roadmap. The music and creative industries were filled with capable, driven people, but pathways were opaque, knowledge was siloed, and access to lived experience was limited. Guidance on how to build sustainable careers, set up safe creative environments, or understand how all the pieces fit together was rarely visible - let alone accessible. Building a Platform for Real Access. Together with friend and Co-Founder Ron Haryanto, Helen is launching Mentor Academy to open the curtain on creative industries. Through on-demand masterclasses, mentoring, networking, and opportunity, Mentor Academy connects emerging talent with industry experts who are actively doing the work. The focus is simple: real-world experience, real insights, and practical guidance delivered by relevant people walking the path right now. Leadership Beyond Music. Alongside Mentor Academy, Helen is also CEO of a Sleep Diagnostics & Treatment Distribution company, applying the same principles of systems thinking, operational efficiency, and culture-led leadership to a highly regulated, mission-critical sector. This dual perspective, both creative and clinical / cultural and commercial gives her a uniquely broad view of how sustainable businesses are built across industries.