Bio of Helen Orloff

Helen Orloff, Founder and President of Right Way Advisors, Inc.
Right Way Advisors, Inc. provides consulting sevices in organizational and staff diversity awareness and development.

Previously, Helen was the Manager of Diversity & Inclusion at Girl Scouts USA. She established inclusion policies for the national office and its 315 local councils. Helen spearheaded diversity and disabilities awareness initiatives to 3.8 million Girl Scout members, local councils and the public.

Managing a staff of 100 as Executive Director of Park Slope Center, Helen provided leadership in the day-to-day operations to the elderly, individuals with disabilities, at-risk teens and Welfare-to-Work clients. Helen deftly managed the agency budget within strict compliance guidelines of the board of trustees, while insuring high-quality service outcomes.

As District Office Manager for New York State Assembly Speaker, Melvin Miller, Helen managed a staff of 50 and all aspects of the Assembly Speaker’s district office. Helen acted as liaison between constituents and the Assembly Speaker.

In addition to being a published author and sought-after speaker, Helen Orloff has been recognized for her contributions to the community with an "Outstanding Achievements in Diversity" award from Girl Scouts USA, "Distinguished Service" award from District Attorney Robert Hynes and "Dedicated Service" award from Public Advocate, Mark Green.

Helen has established a reputation for being a dynamic, results-oriented executive with a successful track record in nonprofit management. Her outstanding accomplishments are a result of motivating teams dedicated to achieving organizational objectives.

Helen is known for her ability to conceptualize and successfully implement systems with a focus on sustaining successful growth. Her leadership qualities combined with effective communication skills, has established Helen as the "go to" rainmaker in every organization that hires her.

Cutting through the Silence:The Dangers of Self-Injury

Even if it was 95 degrees outside, you wouldn't dare wear short-sleeved shirts, bathing suits, or shorts. Instead, you'd swelter in long-sleeved shirts and jeans in the hopes that no one finds out your "secret." You're hiding the cuts, burns, and scratches on your body—all made by YOU.

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Girls with Disabilities Enjoy Outdoor Activities

Whether it's playing in the neighborhood playground in San Francisco or rock climbing in the mountains of North Carolina, girls with disabilities can and do enjoy Girl Scout experiences in the outdoors. Girls with disabilities want to be active participants in their chosen outdoor activity, not spectators on the sidelines. Here are some ways leaders and advisors make it happen.

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Fickle Behavior — or Eating Disorder?

Rita often comments on how good her food tastes. Then she excuses herself and returns from the bathroom looking pale….
Shantel can't get enough exercise. She openly shares with the girls that she works out for several hours every day, seven days a week—rain or shine.
Marissa buys chips, soda, and candy bars and places them in her bag after eating four slices of pizza with the girls. Her cheeks are often puffy and she complains about fatigue and muscle aches, yet her weight is average for her age and frame.
Have you noticed these behaviors from the girls in your troop or group? Do you wonder if it's fickle behavior or could it be something more—an eating disorder

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Crossing the Thin Line:The Facts About Eating Disorders

This article was co-authored with Jennifer Goddard

What's for lunch? A burger, large fries, milk shake, and cookies and 1,500 calories? Why not? After all, the bathroom is right around the corner. Or maybe a just small salad? One tiny meal a day will keep you in those size two jeans. How about lunch followed by exercising three hours a day, seven days a week? The real question is: what's your "method" of maintaining control?
Let's face it, a lot of us are concerned with our weight and want to look the best we can—but have you, or someone you know, crossed the "thin" line between healthy concern and unhealthy? Eating disorders are more than a problem with food. They may represent symptoms of underlying problems. Do You Have An Eating Disorder?

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Five Ways to Celebrate Girls Scouts' Birthday

Girl Scouts is 93 and looking great! The Girl Scout Birthday, March 12, commemorates the day in 1912 when Juliette Gordon Low officially registered the organization's first 18 girl members in Savannah, Georgia.
Here are some fun ideas to get the celebration going.

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'Tis the Season to Simplify

It's hard to believe, but the holiday season is upon us already. Smiling faces, decorated stores, and the general holiday hustle and bustle fill the air. How can you and the girls celebrate the season, keep traditions, share cultural differences, and end the year with good vibes?
Keep It Simple, Sister

Here's a holiday K.I.S.S. to help you and the girls plan for the holiday season:

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What Is Your Leadership Style?

It's a new year and your resolution is to be the best you possible. You have cleaned out your closest, read articles on money-saving tips, and vowed to make time for yourself throughout the year. However, before completing your resolution list, have you considered looking at your leadership style? Does it need tweaking in 2005? Take this quiz and find out more about how you lead.

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Starting the Girl Scout Year off Right

With fall approaching, a new Girl Scout year is beginning. All summer you've been looking forward to meeting with the girls and exploring new projects, activities, and possibilities. So why do you have "new school year" jitters? Whether you are a seasoned volunteer, or new to Girl Scouting, here are five steps to follow to starting the year off right:

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More than Summer Fun

Finally! Summer is here. You and the girls are looking forward to sandals, capri pants, lemonade, and most importantly, relaxation. But is this the time to "shut down" all activities? Or can you connect the girls in a fun, relaxed way during the summer months?
Here are five tips to keep girls connected through the summer and into the new troop year.

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"I'm No Pro Athlete…But I Try it Anyway"

"Let's go rollerskating!" " Can we all go on a hike?" "What about horseback riding?"
Sound familiar? Both you and the girls have some great ideas for getting outside—but are you (or the girls) secretly hoping the chill in the air will last a bit longer to avoid feeling self-concious about your appearance?
Relax, the author of this "how to" can not only offer tips but first-hand perspective on getting outdoors and yes, enjoying it!
It's true, I am not athletic or into exercise. But does that mean I have NO spring in my step? Since many "how to" articles offer a question for self-assessment, answer this—are you into having fun? If the answer is yes, then approach engaging in outdoor activities from that perspective—it's fun!

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Keeping Your Cool When Things Get Hot

Your first few troop/group meetings are behind you and you're starting to notice some behaviors like bickering and bossiness. How do you handle challenging behaviors while staying cool? No matter what age you're working with, here are five cool solutions to five hot challenges.

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Girl Talk: Anything But Small Talk

"My mom says I am too young for makeup—she is just so uncool."
"Everyone I know is wearing a bra—everyone except me."
"There's this cute guy in my chemistry class…"
"My mom always takes my brother's side!"
"Is it true that when you start shaving you have to keep doing it?"
How many times have you heard these (or similar) comments from girls? There's a reason—girls want and need to talk about family rules, makeup, boys, and body changes. Girls as young as nine years old are beginning to explore their feelings and ask questions about their changing relationships.
As a savvy leader/advisor you understand that girls don't want to hear a lecture from an adult. You know they want tips, information, and answers from their peers first. So how do you use your Girl Scout meetings to address the issues of boys, makeup, and family dynamics with the girls? It's as easy as 1-2-3.


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Character: A Different Kind of Fitness

There is a lot of emphasis on being fit and living a healthy life—something important for all. However, many of the messages bombarding today's girls are focused solely on what they look like. Being healthy and fit inside are just as important as eating right and exercising. How do you teach what is intrinsic in Girl Scouting—tolerance, respect, empathy, and kindness? Emphasize character-building, one of the tenets of Girl Scouts. It is not as overwhelming as you may think.
Here are five tips to teach girls to tune in to their internal compasses and become who they want to be.


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