Jenny Helmick
Vice President
George Bernard Shaw once said, ‘The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.’ Given the environmental and public health issues we face today, we ignore this illusion at our peril. My work is to help scientists and policy makers understand, engage, and inform their audiences. ERG’s clients know that if they hand me some dingy prose, I can make it sparkle. If they tell me whom they hope to reach and why, I can craft a strategy to cut through the noise. For me, making science engaging and accessible is a skill, an art, and a calling.
Jenny Helmick (she/her/hers) is a highly accomplished writer, educator, trainer, and communications strategist. Growing up in Florida in the 1960s, Jenny was deeply affected by the die-off of pelicans and destruction of the Everglades, and she has worked on behalf of the environment ever since. An ERG vice president, she has put her strong science background and communications skills in the service of environmental protection and public health since joining the company in 1988. ERG’s clients frequently turn to her to solve their tough communication challenges—from quick-turnaround fact sheets and Web content, to multi-year, multi-author research reports, to comprehensive stakeholder engagement and communications strategies. She also designs and delivers training, workshops, and curricula on environmental science, effective writing, and other topics.
Jenny holds a B.A. from Harvard University, social studies concentration, and an M.S. in environmental health/urban and environmental policy from Tufts University.