On 9 March 1974, as an Administrative Officer with Government, Helen opted for a posting to the newly established ICAC. As Special Assistant (Planning) for Community Relations (CR), she worked with the founding Commissioner Sir Jack Cater to map out a plan for setting up the department for public education.  Meanwhile, she would accompany Sir Jack to meet different groups territory-wide, day and night, to promote awareness and understanding of the ICAC.

 

By the end of the year, recruitment was apace for the first batch of CR officers. About that time, Government indicated intentions “to regularize” her position.  However, Helen was determined to complete her mission with the ICAC and so left the Administrative Service.   

 

From then on, she headed the CR department and spearheaded its development according to plan: building a network of district-based sub-offices, working with education institutions, promoting good business ethics and practices, producing multi-media programmes for public information and education, conducting research for a benchmark survey on community feedback. 

 

In May 1980, Helen considered her mission accomplished and decided to leave the ICAC in favour of the younger colleagues and for fresh initiatives for the department. She returned to Government and then served in many capacities: Assistant Commissioner (Public Affairs) in the London Office, Director (Cultural Services), Deputy Secretary (Health), Secretary General of Legislative Council, Director of Buildings, Director of Education, Director of Regional Services and Head of Task Force for Building Safety and Preventive Maintenance. 

 

In 2001, her contract with Government ended. She successfully applied to be Deputy Ombudsman and served as such in that statutory body until the end of April 2010. 

 

Throughout her career, Helen firmly upheld the principles of equity and integrity. For her public service, she was honoured as an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 1997 and awarded the Silver Bauhinia Star in 2002. 

 

Currently, she is committed to voluntary service for her alma mater Maryknoll Convent School.