Born Organized | About Helen

About Helen > Eclectic Background

Mid 70's: business

Late 70's: switched gears to music & acting

80's: TV, major films, drama instructor, communication coach, motivator, awards, print model, syndicated writer, radio, voice-overs

90's: published children's author, quips & quotes, poetry, magazine writer, organized house-building project

2000: founded Born Organized®

Mid 70's: business

In the mid 70's, Helen Ksypka was the youngest person to enjoy the status she held at such companies as CMH (Chelsea Memorial Hospital) and NFPA (National Fire Protection Association)...

She secured the most promotions in the shortest amount of time and earned her reputation as an organizational whiz, a polished writer, and skillful communicator by:

	teaching executives how to plan, prioritize, and manage effective schedules

	leading successful meetings by preparing focused, succinct agendas, planning every detail including strategic seating arrangements for the appropriate climate of the topic and results to be achieved

	designing and implementing hard-filing systems focusing on ease in "finding" information rather than where to "put" it

	developing innovative interview techniques, creating questions relevant to the company, and drawing out applicants' transferable skills, attitude, and personality traits

	initiating and composing job descriptions for hundreds of employees

	motivating professionals to zero in on their assets, maximizing their personal effectiveness

Late 70's: switched gears to music & acting

Music
In the late 70's, Helen switched gears and was privately tutored at the Boston Conservatory of Music by Professor Wesley Copplestone. Helen performed as a singer/songwriter throughout New England, Acapulco, Puerto Rico, and at the famous CBGB's in New York; many of her compositions have been published.

Acting
Helen also completed her acting training in both the Stanislavski and Shurtleff methods and performed in the New England area including the Strand Theater in Boston.

When Helen performed the role of Katherina from Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew," at the Framingham Correctional Institution for Women, Helen received a standing ovation. And that was a tough crowd! View photo of Helen in "Taming of the Shrew".

Helen also portrayed many classical roles on WMBR FM radio and was prized for her uncanny precision with dialects.

80's: TV - major films - drama instructor - communication coach - motivator - awards - print model - syndicated writer - radio - voice-overs

TV
In 1981, Helen's first television audition resulted in a principal role for Jordan's Meats which qualified her to become a member of SAG (Screen Actors Guild) and AFTRA (American Federation of Television and Radio Artists). Helen is still a member of both unions today.

Helen worked as an on-camera principal in countless TV commercials, including a WBZ-TV (Boston) "skin cancer awareness" campaign in which Helen played the dual role of a swimsuit model at the beach and an aged woman, hospitalized with skin cancer. View Helen's TV-Guide promo.

Helen also worked as an on-camera principal in industrial films for American Management Association, Digital Equipment Corporation, Lo-Jack, Academic Encyclopedia...

Major Films
Helen went on to appear in major films such as: The Bostonians, The Verdict, Mr. North, Soul Man, Hanky Panky... and TV shows such as: Cheers, St. Elsewhere, Miller's Court, The Law Works, The Law and Harry McGraw, and Spenser for Hire...

Helen worked with Vanessa Redgrave, Christopher Reeve, Jerry Orbach, Matt Dillon, Rich Little, Robert Urich... she met Paul Newman, Sidney Poitier, Gilda Radner, Gene Wilder...

Helen wrote, directed, produced, and starred in a five-year running Cable TV comedy show, titled Basic Turmoil, which was a winner of the 1983 Nickelodeon Channel film and video festival. View humorous photos of the characters Helen portrayed on her show.

Drama Instructor & Communication Coach
During the time of the above TV show, Helen doubled as a drama instructor and coached many of the people who worked on her show in the areas of TV/film acting techniques, auditioning, media interviewing, interpersonal effectiveness, motivation, and goal setting and achieving.

Motivator
In 1985, the Warner Cable Advisor of Swampscott High School in Massachusetts praised Helen for her inspirational speaking, her innovative technique of role-playing to teach communication skills and her expertise and enthusiasm in working with and training young people as actors.

It was further cited that Helen's patience, encouragement and her unique abilities as both an actress and motivator inspired many students to greater heights of artistic expression.

Awards
Also in 1985, The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Cable Television Commission honored Helen with a "first place" plaque for best actress in Cablevision of Brookline's Personal Relationships Video.

In 1986, Helen also received a certificate of award for her contribution to Cablevision of Brookline being chosen as the best cable television station in the United States.

At major television stations in the Boston area, including WSBK (now UPN), WCVB, WGBH, WBZ... Helen continued to secure positions from actress to field producer, receiving numerous letters and citations praising her abilities and professionalism, including a 1988 letter of congratulations from WGBH TV in Boston for her participation in the Emmy-nominated production of: Roland Hayes: Ministry of Music.

Print Model
During the 80's, Helen also worked as a print model, appearing in such publications as TV Guide, Self Magazine, and The Boston Globe. View Helen's AFTRA/SAG professional composite photos portraying her as an ingénue & cocky businesswoman, biker & bathing beauty.

Syndicated Writer
In the late 80's Helen wrote TV spots and ad copy in addition to nationally syndicated radio comedy bits for companies such as the American Comedy Network, OnTrack Communications...

Radio & Voice-Overs
In 1989 she appeared, live, as a humorist with the then Boston DJ's, Joe Martelle and the late Andy Moes of the former WROR FM (Boston) morning show, "Joe and Andy." Helen also picked up gigs doing character voice-overs. View photo of Helen, Andy, and Joe.

90's: published children's author - quips & quotes - poetry - magazine writer - organized house-building project

Published Children's Author
Helen kicked off the 90's as a published children's author, securing her spot as a top writer for the California-based company, Children's Story Scripts. Geared to grade-school kids, one of Helen's popular titles, Oh, Please, Not Opera...Learning LaBohème, proved to be tremendously successful since Helen found a way to make opera fun. Helen has had several titles published and continues her association with Children's Story Scripts to this day.

Quips & Quotes and Poetry
Helen's quips and quotes and humorous poetry for both children and adults have been published in numerous collections. View poetry.

Magazine Writer
Continuing in the 90's, Helen played an active role in consumer awareness, and her whistle-blowing article of the perils of shoddy car audio installation was featured nationally, in Car Audio and Electronics.

Because of this article, Helen was acclaimed as an advocate of consumer protection by the President of the Mobile Electronics Certification Program.

Organized House-Building Project
In the mid 90's, Helen kissed the fast-paced city goodbye and moved to Maine. While completing various writing assignments, Helen embarked on a two-year house-building project.

After researching everything from septic designs to anchor bolts and re-rods, Helen developed an organizational workbook for herself and the builder. It charted every detail, including the excavation, construction, tracking of orders and changes, as well as specific instructions for each subcontractor. The books Helen created became indispensable, and the builders, K/Z Enterprises of Eliot, ME, still refer to its format today. View photo gallery of building project.

2000: Founded Born Organized®

During the building project, Helen felt her managerial muscles flexing, once again. She also became troubled by the "information age" and how people, now more than ever, are plagued by disorganization, lack of time, lack of focus, and a breakdown in communication and social skills.

It disturbed her that most people barely get through the day instead of planning the life they really want to live. It was then that Helen's own life came full circle, and she founded Born Organized®.

Because of the array of skills Helen has amassed over the past 20+ years and her ability to switch gears and succeed, she is an example to her clients that goals can be set and met; she is living proof that her 4 forces of an orderly, productive, fulfilled life^SM/TM work.