About Helen

Helen is an anthropologist and tea entrepreneur dedicated to understanding the “roots” of tea culture. Holding an MSc in Anthropology, her research specialises in political ecology and indigenous cosmologies, specifically examining how tea plantations shape social territory and community identity among Yunnanese Han communities.

Beyond academia, Helen is a practitioner with deep roots in the industry. As the founder of TGTea, she has spent over a decade mastering the intricacies of tea production and plantation networks. This blend of “muddy boots” fieldwork—from the mountains of Northern Thailand to the markets of China—and theoretical expertise allows her to design community-based development models that truly respect local ecological and social systems.