Helen Kelly was elected as president of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions (CTU) at the biennial conference in 2007. She had been the CTU Vice President since September 2003.

She has a long history in the union movement, primarily in the education sector, as an organiser for the Association of University Staff and holding several positions including Assistant Secretary in the New Zealand Educational Institute. Within NZEI she played a prominent role in the pay parity campaign for kindergarten and primary teachers. Helen became the general secretary of AUS in June 2002, a role she held until becoming CTU president.

Helen trained as a teacher and has an LLB from Victoria University. Her CTU responsibilities include economic development, employment law, climate change, social partnership, ACC and pay and employment equity. She cochairs the Workplace Health and Safety Council.

Helen is responsible for CTU international work through the International Trade Union Congress and the International Labour Organisation.