Helen Lavelle

Helen is a recognized leader in the advertising industry whose distinguished career is steeped in creativity, leadership, education, governance, and service. She is the founder of Lavelle Strategy Group, a full-service marketing, advertising, and public relations firm located in Scranton.

With Helen at the helm of her creative team, the agency has won hundreds of awards across all media categories – from traditional to digital; from guerilla marketing to social media.

Strongly engaged in strengthening her industry, Helen has served as President of the American Advertising Federation, Northeast Pennsylvania, a two-term Governor of AAF District II (NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, and Washington D.C.).

Unanimously elected to serve as Chair of the American Advertising Federation’s Council of Governors, she helped navigate members nationwide through government relations, academic, diversity and economic challenges.

Having personally experienced the horror and heartbreak that addiction brings to a family, Helen committed to her own recovery 36 years ago and remains a faithful member of a recovery program for friends and families of the addicted. She has volunteered countless hours to help those in need in Pennsylvania and beyond. The Lackawanna County Treatment Court, The Recovery Bank, Families Helping Families, The Children’s Advocacy Center, Outreach Center for Community Resources, and The Recovery Rises Foundation have all benefited from her counsel and guidance.

Recent honors include the American Advertising Federation’s Barton A. Cummings Gold Medal, AAF’s Diversity Achievement Award; the Chamber of Commerce Sage Award; Business of the Year; Top 25 Women in Business; and the Women’s Caucus for the Arts Award.

Helen is also an artist and an advocate for the arts in all genres. Her 2021 painting “Pandemic Pieta” was recently featured in the “Hysterica” exhibit in Milan, Italy. Her figurative, landscape and abstract work is held in corporate and private collections worldwide.