NumFOCUS is very excited to welcome Gina Helfrich back to our team!

Gina Helfrich, Communications Director. Brunette woman with black wire frame glasses, smiling and holding a coffee cup that reads

Gina Helfrich first joined NumFOCUS in 2015 as Communications Director; she was the second full-time staff member at NumFOCUS. Gina is a highly skilled communications professional with experience in a variety of professional settings, from higher education to nonprofits to technology. Gina left NumFOCUS in 2016 to co-found recruitHER, a women-owned recruiting & consulting firm committed to making the tech industry more inclusive and diverse. The marketing and communications strategy Gina developed and executed for recruitHER attracted national attention, including feature stories in both Austin Monthly and Austin Woman magazines, a talk at SXSW, and an interview on the Stuff Mom Never Told You podcast.

Gina is an expert in women’s leadership and gender equity with over 12 years of experience working to advance diversity and inclusion. She earned her Ph.D. in Philosophy and Women’s Studies from Emory University and is the former Director of the Women’s Center at Harvard University. Gina is a respected thought leader and was invited to speak at the 2016 Texas Conference for Women and the 2015 SXSW Interactive Conference.

Gina returned to NumFOCUS this week to resume her leadership of our communications efforts. Thanks in part to generous support from the Moore Foundation, Gina will also serve as our Program Manager for Diversity & Inclusion. “I am thrilled to be rejoining the NumFOCUS team. I love working with our supporters and look forward to helping our open source community continue to grow and develop,” she said.


​In other staff-related news, Savannah Mercado has transitioned from her former role as Communications Coordinator to a new position as Events Manager. Congrats, Savannah!