Rev. Dr. Helen Hunter was born in Columbus, Ohio and moved to Arizona in 2006. She is married and is a mother, grandmother, and great grandmother.
She completed an education degree and enrolled in a master’s program in public administration. However, she soon began to feel a calling to pastoral ministry. She switched from PA to a Master of Divinity program, followed by a doctoral program in theology, humanities, and pastoral leadership.
Her theological studies, pastoral duties, and spiritual journey informed and solidified her love for humanity and concern for the human condition.

During her advanced studies, she also spearheaded a five-year grassroots community project that transitioned low- and moderate-income families from rental status to home ownership.

After relocating to Arizona, she completed chaplaincy training and certification, planted a church, established a home health agency, and formed a second ministry. The current ministry is an expansion of her homeless ministry, commissioned to provide transitional housing which leads to affordable permanent residence or home ownership. She has now become a self-actualized Good Samaritan and the quintessential caregiver. The natural progression is to run for office!

Helen is a true community partner. She is an organizer, social justice advocate, pastor, chaplain, and businesswoman. She has worked for underserved populations for over 30 years, specializing in housing, healthcare, and social justice. In collaboration with Arizonans Concerned About Smoking (ACAS) and the United States Public Health Service (USPHS), Helen has assisted, supported, and rewarded implementation of non-smoking policies among many HBCU’s.

Leading efforts to ensure equal rights for all, Helen was instrumental in creating meaningful, accountable community policing and currently serves on Mesa’s Use of Force Committee. As a leader of the East Valley NAACP for over 6 years, her work with East Valley Police Chiefs was recognized with the Golden Rule Award in 2019 by the Arizona Interfaith Movement.

Helen genuinely believes we can and must commit to solve societal problems TOGETHER. Working, serving, giving, and living TOGETHER. And lastly, adhering to the Golden Rule: treating others as we want to be treated, with dignity, integrity, honesty, and respect.