half Helen. See the World Clearly

A member of the Austin-West Austin Lions Club for 15 years, Lion Chelsea serves as the founder and Executive Director of half Helen, a local nonprofit that helps underserved children and families see the world clearly. In 2021, half Helen launched its first mobile eye clinic, optical Prime. In 2024 half Helen expanded to open a permanent location on North Lamar Blvd. This presentation will journey through half Helen's early days as a vision and hearing screening nonprofit to today, a fully fledged family vision clinic.

About our Speaker:

Chelsea Elliott is the founder and executive director of half Helen (hH), a groundbreaking organization dedicated to helping people see the world clearly. With over a decade of leadership experience, Chelsea has successfully guided hH through remarkable growth, including surpassing the $1M fundraising milestone in 2023 and achieving unprecedented operational successes. Under her leadership, half Helen expanded to a permanent location, exceeded patient encounter goals, and solidified Chelsea as a passionate advocate for women in leadership and entrepreneurship.

As a social entrepreneur, Chelsea exemplifies the grit, resilience, and vision needed to lead with purpose through challenges and triumphs alike. Her unwavering commitment to half Helen’s mission is matched by her dedication to empowering those who join her in the journey. Chelsea's work has been recognized by prestigious organizations such as the CNN Heroes program, the Texas State Board of Education, Texas Women in Business, Lions Clubs of Texas, the Austin and Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Austin Woman, and Austin Under 40. In 2024, she was named the KXAN Austin Remarkable Woman by Nextstar Media Group, further highlighting her impact as a transformative leader in the community.