Helga Yuan Larsen

Helga Yuan Larsen is the Program Director of Early Childhood & K-12 Education. Having previously served as the director of New York State’s quality rating and improvement system (QRIS), and as the regional manager of the National Training and Technical Assistance System for the Office of Head Start, Helga brings her deep understanding of the early care and education landscape to personally guide faculty and staff in accessing childcare and in navigating the public and independent school systems. Additionally, through support groups, educational workshops, and other events, she designs programming that affirms the various paths to parenthood and elevates the diverse identities and experiences of families at NYU.  Through strategic collaborations with local organizations and schools, along with her insights about the unique needs of the NYU parenting community, Helga raises the work-family perspective to inform the University’s efforts in supporting caregivers in the workplace, assessing the impacts of current benefits and resources, as well as leveraging opportunities for future enhancements. Helga received her BA in Psychology from Barnard College and her MSEd in Early Childhood Education at the University of Pennsylvania. Helga is passionate about promoting the well-being of children by empowering their caregivers with the tools and supports they need to thrive.