Contributor

Helga Luest, M.A.

Expert on Trauma Informed Approaches & Violence Prevention; Advocate & Strategist

Helga is a behavioral health and violence prevention expert who has managed and contributed to many federal efforts. She is currently a candidate for Maryland State Delegate in district 18. Helga was appointed to the Maryland Governor’s Family Violence Council in 2016 and she serves on the U.S. Congressional Victims’ Rights Caucus Advisory Group. In 2010 she was awarded the Congressional Unsung Hero Award for her effective advocacy work on violence prevention and response. Helga’s passion for this work stems from her own experience as a survivor of an attempted murder in 1993, and more recently, domestic abuse. She continues to bring a survivor-informed perspective to policy, programs, and public education.