Helen Shum

Helen Shum leads Meyer's communications team, overseeing the department's narrative, digital, media and brand strategies. She works across the organization and with her team to ensure that Meyer's voice is clear and strong, in service to and in alignment with its mission.

Her perspective on communications is deeply informed by her time at The Oregonian where she served in a variety of reader outreach, editorial and news administration roles. She estimates that she has read, listened to or published the thoughts and opinions of more than 30,000 Oregonians in the ten years she spent at the paper. 

"The challenge for me and for all of the work we do at Meyer is fundamentally rooted in listening. Whose voices are we prioritizing? How do we make sure that we are constantly working to incorporate what we hear and taking courageous action that collectively moves us forward? I love that at Meyer, we are always asking, always challenging ourselves to be better and bolder."

Helen’s nonprofit experience includes early childhood advocacy and communications roles at United Way of Columbia-Willamette and Children’s Institute, based in Portland. She has served on the board of multiple cooperative preschools and in various public K-12 parent leadership and advisory positions.

Born in Hong Kong and raised in Connecticut, Helen has now spent more than half her life in Oregon. She is honored by the opportunity to support efforts that center communities of color and that advance a just, inclusive democracy.

She holds a degree in journalism with a minor in anthropology from Syracuse University. Outside of work, Helen is passionate about travel, food and family. She and her husband Jeremy share two kids as well as family pets, Smudge and Liberty. 

Helen joined Meyer in 2021.