Helen Lavinia
I’m originally from a small town called Heidenheim in the south of Germany. My family and friends would describe me as incredibly active and extroverted—and I agree. I thrive in new environments and always look forward to exploring the unfamiliar. I also enjoy talking to people, traveling around the world, and seeing new places, preferably with quite a few books to read along the way.
"I am a firm believer in creating positive change collaboratively."
On a mission to do good
“Be inquisitive and do good.” For Helen, that was the mantra of her childhood and the biggest lesson she ever learned from her grandfather. It also set the tone for the rest of her life, shaping both her worldview and the long-term goals she would go on to pursue for her personal and professional future.
Helen has always been an independent thinker. At age 15, she went off to boarding school before moving to the UK for her bachelor’s degree in business management and marketing. A long-time advocate for women’s rights, Helen interned at a social enterprise aimed at changing the way businesses approach women’s health issues in the workplace. Alongside her degree, she later worked part-time fundraising for BRACE, a Bristol-based charity harnessing science to beat dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. She is also actively involved in her family company, Liha Werbung, which has been passed down from generation to generation. “I credit the long family tradition of our company to having greatly contributed to my sustainable mindset,” says Helen.
Although happy with her work, her desire to see the world took hold and she was ready to make a change. The topic of sustainability intrigued Helen from a young age, so she decided to make it her main focal point for the next phase of her career. “I wanted to broaden my horizons and find intersections between business and development,” she explains. Discovering the Master in International Development at IE University was a stroke of luck—and one she was determined not to pass up.
“The Master in International Development has equipped me with valuable knowledge of the development sector; it’s helped me understand the multifaceted scope of all the parties involved in the process.”
Helen’s reasons for enrolling in the program were twofold. First, she loved the fact that it is developed and taught jointly alongside the United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC). This, she felt, would be the perfect ‘in’ into the world of international development; who better to introduce her to it than the UN? Second, the program’s spotlight on the 2030 Agenda aligned with her long-term goals, offering an in-depth understanding of the “complexity involved in establishing sustainable development mechanisms within countries, institutions and organizations.” With this foundation, Helen knew she’d have all the tools necessary to launch a global career.
Now halfway through the program, she says she’s thoroughly enjoying the IE Experience. “So far, the Master in International Development has equipped me with valuable knowledge of the development sector.” She’s also getting a behind-the-scenes look at the development process, exploring the various players it usually involves and the challenges that come along with it. This, she says, has taught her just what it takes to “create a productive space for collaborative action” in any setting.
Already making plans for her future, Helen wants to turn her passion for economic development, women’s rights and human rights into a viable career at an international or multilateral organization. Ultimately, though, her goal is to work toward sustainable development and the greater good, no matter her role. “By pursuing the Master in Development,” she states, “I hope to gain all the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in my career and continue to follow in my grandpa’s footsteps by being inquisitive and striving to do good.”
Helen says this program is the place to be for anyone who’s “open-minded, innovative and a critical thinker.” Her advice is to stay passionate and make full use of the invaluable resources available to every student at IE University. She says, “The workload is demanding, but the determination to create a positive impact makes it so much more meaningful and rewarding.”
