Helen is the founder of “Top Sixty Over Sixty,” a trailblazing initiative aimed at transforming the narrative of ageing from negative to positive. Fearlessly tackling the challenges facing older adults, she champions age diversity, longevity literacy, and educates about ageism. At age 75, Helen proudly role models what it means to age in the 21st century in the face of North America’s youth-centric culture.
As an accomplished facilitator and motivational speaker, Helen is a strong performer in multicultural environments with the ability to gain trust and build rapport quickly among those with diverse backgrounds, interests, and life circumstances. Helen conveys a natural enthusiasm for learning and a gift for motivating both colleagues and audiences. She is fluent in French, German and Spanish.
Helen Hirsh Spence’s five-decade career began in Munich in the early 70s, where she embarked on her teaching journey and gradually assumed increasingly senior leadership positions in the Canadian public and private education sectors.
As a founding member of the prestigious Ontario Principals’ Council, Helen became the fifth President, responsible for 5000 public school leaders. A Headship at an all-girls’ school in Ottawa was followed by a decade devoted to global, not-for-profit endeavours. In her late sixties, she shifted gears to reinvent herself as a social entrepreneur.
Recognized as a prominent figure in the field of longevity, Helen has been invited to share her insights at conferences, on podcasts, national radio and TV, and in various publications. Her 2024 TEDx talk garnered over 100,000 views in its first month. In life and in her book which is now being edited, Helen seizes every opportunity to promote an empowering perspective on aging, inspiring change for all generations. Her mindset is always “longevity” focused.
