Sarah Helm

Sarah Helm (Pākehā, Kāi Tahu) has worked in senior leadership roles in organisations spanning health, youth, social and environmental issues. Her work has been at the forefront of change over three decades. Sarah’s formal training is in journalism, health promotion and health service management. She brings her own lived experience of a range of life challenges and identities relevant to the the communities the Drug Foundation serves.

Sarah has previously worked for the Alcohol Advisory Council, Health Promotion Agency and NZ AIDS Foundation (now Burnett Foundation). She was head of the NZ Association of Adolescent Health & Development (Ara Taiohi) for a number of years. Most recently, she worked for the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet as Strategic Communications Manager for the COVID-19 response.

Although she is based in Wellington with her two school-aged sons, Sarah will always be a South Aucklander at heart.