Helen Fernandes

Helen Fernandes - Vice Chair

Helen Fernandes lives in Brisbane, Australia and works in International Development at Tearfund Australia. Helen is an Occupational Therapist by background, who started her career working in community based rehabilitation with children with disabilities in remote Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory.

Following this she completed her Masters in International Public Health and took up a position with The Leprosy Mission in Niger. During her four years in Niger, she worked at a remote Leprosy Hospital in the Sahel. Helen loved her time in Niger and was involved in capacity building Nigerien staff in rehabilitation, leprosy control programs and disability inclusion.

Helen returned to Melbourne in 2010 to work at The Leprosy Mission Australia as the International Programs Manager. This gave her the unique opportunity to work with TLM Member countries and their partners in Timor Leste, Nepal, Nigeria, PNG, India, and Niger. Helen was a member of TLM's Project Ratification Group from 2016 - 2019 and was convenor of that group in 2019. She has been on the International Board of The Leprosy Mission since September 2019, and designated Safeguarding Trustee since September 2023.

Helen works as a Capacity Strengthening Advisor at Tearfund Australia, which involves working with Tearfund's international partners on strengths based organisational development processes. She also facilitates a community of practice on mental health and development and is Chair of the disability inclusion working group at Tearfund.

Helen is married to Joel Fernandes, who is from Timor Leste; has a lived experience of physical disability and who previously worked for The Leprosy Mission Timor Leste. Helen is passionate about music and working towards more inclusive communities!