1. HELEN PITT
0432 861 962
HPitt@smh.com.au
JOURNALISM AWARDS AND HONORS
1997 Austcare Media Award.
The feature story In God's Hands on East Timorese refugees published in The Sydney
Morning Herald won the print category of this competition.
1996 United Nations Media Peace Prize.
Highly commended for The Herald News Review cover story The Lost Kids of Kinchela,
on the Aboriginal Stolen Children inquiry.
1992-93 Journalists in Europe Foundation award, Paris.
Selected as the only Australian to take part in an eight-month international journalism
program aimed to give experienced journalists an in-depth knowledge of Europe.
1984 Trinity College of Music, London, (LTCL)
Performer’s Diploma in Effective Speaking.
1981 Sydney Morning Herald High School Newspaper competition.
As a 16-year-old editor of my high school newspaper, I won this writing competition and
was offered a cadetship in journalism.
JOURNALISM EXPERIENCE
2010-present The Sydney Morning Herald
Opinion Editor Sydney
As Opinion editor, since 2012 I have been editing regular columnists and contributors
across all platforms, as well as writing occasional columns. Prior to that I have worked as
a senior reporter and editor (newspaper) and producer of digital products including video.
2005-9 San Francisco, USA
Freelance writer
Magazine feature writer for a number of Australian and US publications including Time
magazine. Also worked in wine public relations in Napa to help promote the launch of
Hardy’s wines into the US.
1999-2005 New York Times Digital Sonoma/Napa, USA
Wine writer
Staff writer for New York Times Digital’s daily online wine website, WineToday.com,

2. covering news and features on the Australian and Californian wine industry. Also wrote a
number of book reviews for the Books section of the New York Times.
1995-1998 The Sydney Morning Herald Sydney, Australia
Writer
Won two national writing awards noted above. Covered religious and ethnic affairs, court
reporting, edited the Letters page, and worked as a general news reporter.
1993-1995 Euronews Lyons, France
Broadcaster/reporter
Television reporter for Euronews, Europe's first multilingual 24-hour news channel after
participating in the Journalists in Europe program. Also covered the 1993 Olympic
announcement in Monaco for 702 ABC Breakfast with Phil Clark.
1990-1992 Bulletin with Newsweek Sydney, Australia
Feature Writer
Wrote a number of diverse feature stories as a staff writer. In 1992, was the first
journalist to walk the Kokoda Track with tour operator Charlie Lynn.
1986-1990 The Sydney Morning Herald Sydney, Australia
Reporter
Completed journalism cadetship including stints on police rounds, general news and real
estate. In 1988 was appointed The Herald's youngest ever Melbourne correspondents.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
1998-1999 Macleay College Sydney, Australia
Journalism lecturer
Taught news and feature writing (part-time) at a vocational based tertiary school.
EDUCATION
1983-1985 Charles Sturt University, Bathurst, Australia
Bachelor of Arts, Communication.
VIDEO LINKS
Puberty Blues: 30 years young: http://bit.ly/1Kjmere
How to talk to children about terrorism: http://bit.ly/12Z4E6R
Swimming between the flags: http://bit.ly/1R33XxE
2011 Good Wine Guide launch: http://bit.ly/1R342kY
Why I jumped out of a plane: http://bit.ly/1SOUldy