A graduate from the University of Brasilia (UnB) in 1982, Helena started her career as a reporter with Jornal de Brasilia. She then worked for Diário da Manhã and O Globo, where she was a reporter for ten years. Next, she worked during two years for TV Senate, O Estado de S.Paulo and back to O Globo for another 11 years, when she held the positions of coordinator of the Politics newsroom, Managing Editor, and Director for the Brasilia Bureau.

In November 2007, she became Director of Journalism with Empresa Brasil de Comunicação (EBC), a public TV network, a position she left to engage in the electoral campaign. She was responsible for the news coverage of EBC’s TV, radio and news agency – including TV Brasil, Radio Nacional, Radio MEC and Agência Brasil.

Previously, she served as Bureau Chief in Brasilia for SBT TV network (Sistema Brasileiro de Televisão) and as a political commentator in the network’s morning newscast, starting in May 2006.

» Ministers' profiles: biographical background on the new cabinet under President Dilma Rousseff