Karen Helene, M.S.

Benhaven School Director

Ms. Helene began her career in 1979 as a volunteer at Benhaven during high school and continued in the summers during college. After graduation, she was hired as a teacher. Ms. Helene has been an administrator at the school since 1992 and promoted to School Director in 2001.

Ms. Helene received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine and spent her junior year at the Universidad de Salamanca in Salamanca, Spain near Madrid. She received her Special Education Teaching Certification, her Master’s degree in Special Education and Administration Certification from Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU), New Haven, Connecticut.

Ms. Helene serves on the Board of Directors for the CT Association of Private Special Education Facilities (CAPSEF), most recently as President (2019-2023). In that role, she has participated in numerous state level workgroups.

Over the years, Ms. Helene has been an active member of her community serving on several boards and committees and volunteering at her church.