Dame Helen Stephenson is a Non-Executive Director and former Chief Executive of the Charity Commission for England and Wales. The Commission is a non-ministerial government department which employs around 400 staff and is responsible regulating over 169,000 charities. She joined the Commission from the Department for Education where she was Director of Early Years and Child Care. Helen previously worked in the Cabinet Office where she was Director of the Office for Civil Society and Government Innovation Group.
Helen joined the Civil Service from the Big Lottery Fund where she was Head of Strategic Policy and Partnerships. She has worked for a large national charity as a development manager and as a researcher and consultant in the statutory and voluntary sector. Helen has a PhD from Bristol University.
Helen is a Non-Executive Board member of the National Lottery Community Fund and Chair of the People Committee. She is a Board member of the ECB Regulatory Board and on the People and Governance Committee at the Royal Academy of Dance. Helen is a Non-Executive Director for North West London Acute Provider Collaborative. Helen is a trustee of The King’s Foundation.
Helen was awarded the CBE in 2014 and was awarded a DBE in the Birthday Honours list 2024 for services to charity and regulation.