Helen Wong
Director of Learning and Grant Operations
she/her/hers
Stay tender with your power. Never fight to injure, fight to uplift. Fight because you know that in this life, you deserve safety, joy and freedom.
Helen is driven by a desire to honor the labor and sacrifice of those who came before her, in turn, using her own privilege to advance opportunities for others. At the age of 10, she read the book Maus, which sparked a life-long interest in human rights and justice.
“When I was in 5th grade, my class did a research project called Those Who Were Gifted in Humanity, which focused on everyday heroes who risked everything to help others during the Holocaust. I was deeply impacted by the courage, resilience and brilliance of these individuals who collectively saved thousands of lives despite overwhelming risk. At that young age, I knew I wanted to be ‘gifted in humanity’—living my values and using my skills to advance justice. That focus continues to guide my career.”
Helen comes to Meyer via various government and nonprofit roles but was most recently COO at the Global Fund to End Modern Slavery (GFEMS), a DC-based nonprofit focused on addressing labor and sex trafficking around the world. As a founding member of GFEMS and Senior Director of Grant Programs for much of her tenure, Helen constantly saw how racism, socioeconomic inequity and patriarchal structures resulted in terrible forms of exploitation. At the same time, she also witnessed the transformative power of well-designed grants — built on the wisdom of community leaders — and implemented in partnership with local experts. She is excited to continue supporting communities through Meyer’s efforts to operationalize trust-based philanthropy and participatory grantmaking.
In September 2023, Helen was appointed by Governor Tina Kotek to serve as the only foundation seat for the Task Force on Modernizing Grant Funding and Contracting, which aims to strengthen nonprofit and government partnerships through better wages, resources and processes.
Helen graduated magna cum laude with from the College of William and Mary with dual BAs in International Relations and Chinese Studies. She also holds a Masters in Human Rights Law from the University of Hong Kong. Helen is a Fulbright Fellow and a Gates Millennium Scholar.
Outside of work, Helen enjoys going on adventures with her family, teaching empowerment self-defense with Defend Yourself, paddleboarding and reading.
Helen joined Meyer in June 2022.