Helyn was born in Caracas, Venezuela, and grew up in Miami, Florida. She moved to Madison, Wisconsin, to intern with the Urbana worship team. She received a B.A. from the University of Central Florida and an M.S. in Human Ecology from University of Wisconsin, Madison. From 2004 to 2006 Helyn and her husband, Peter, served in Bangladesh with the Peace Corps. While working at InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, she served as the Director of Global Programs and the Global Urban Trek. She currently works at The Road Home of Dane County with families who are experiencing or have experienced homelessness.
