Helena Huang

Helena Huang manages the Art for Justice Fund (A4J). A4J was established by art philanthropist Agnes Gund in 2017—in partnership with the Ford Foundation—as a project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. This $100 million fund is dedicated to ending mass incarceration in the United States through criminal justice grants supporting high-impact campaigns in the justice and arts sectors. From the Ford Foundation, Helena directs A4J’s grant-making focusing on: bail and sentencing reform, reducing legal barriers for people coming home from prison, and narrative change through the arts.

Previously, Helena held leadership positions in both the foundation and advocacy world. She was a program manager for two national philanthropies for nearly 10 years: the Open Society Foundation (1997-2002) and the JEHT Foundation (2002-06). Later, she co-founded and directed Oregon Voice, a state-based civic engagement organization that helped pass the first automatic voter registration law in a U.S. state. Before returning to philanthropy in 2017, Helena spent a decade building resources for state-based voting rights and civic engagement organizations.

Born in New York City, Helena comes from a family of artists and human rights activists. She holds an MPA from the Columbia School of International Affairs and a B.A. from Cornell University.