Her Story
About Helena
Helena Kuftinec is a Senior Manager of Regional Marketing at Pacific Biosciences, where she has spent nearly a decade building and executing high impact global events, field marketing programs, and user engagement experiences within the biotechnology industry. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, she partners closely with sales, product marketing, and corporate marketing teams to design integrated trade show and event strategies that support commercial growth, strengthen brand visibility, and drive meaningful pipeline impact.
Her work spans the full event lifecycle from early strategic planning months in advance to on site execution and post event performance analysis. Each event season, running from September through June, involves deep cross functional coordination across digital advertising, email marketing, content development, and social media. She collaborates with multiple specialists to ensure every campaign element is aligned, from messaging and creative assets to audience targeting and launch timing. Known for her highly organized approach, she often describes her role as being like ducks on a lake, calm and seamless on the surface, while requiring constant movement, precision, and alignment behind the scenes.
Beyond large scale trade shows, Helena has played a key role in the evolution of internal user group meetings into high production value flagship events that now attract global audiences. These programs have grown significantly over time, transitioning from early stage initiatives into premier experiences where attendees travel cross country to participate and engage. One of the most rewarding aspects of her work has been seeing these events come to life and witnessing the excitement and community engagement they generate. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling and spending time outdoors, especially hiking and going to the beach, which provide balance and inspiration to her fast paced professional life.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Helena
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think just the connections that I've made along the way. Women helping other women has been probably the best part of it. I think every job that I've gotten, even from my teenage years, has been because I've known a woman, or I've known a woman who's known another woman, who's been willing to give me an opportunity or take me under their wing. So I think that's really the thing that stands out to me the most.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would just tell her to take anything that comes her way. Don't think you're too good for anything. Don't let anybody tell you you can't do it. I think sometimes now, especially with media and all these trends on the internet, women are like, oh no, I can't do that, that's a man's job. A lot of my job at some point involves picking up tools and a screwdriver and getting on a ladder, and that's typically, quote-unquote, a man's job, but if I waited for a man to come and do it, I'd probably still be waiting. So the more that you know how to do a job, the more valuable you are. Pick up the screwdriver and just learn how to do it yourself, because I think that's even cooler than just waiting for somebody to do it because it's not your job. Take whatever is there just to get your foot in the door. You never know who's gonna also be there to give you an opportunity you might not know existed. When I started in marketing, I started at zero, and at zero is almost better because you have this open-eyed view of everything. You're like, teach me everything, I know nothing. Whereas if you come in kind of thinking you know everything, you almost think you're too good for the job and you're not going to take it.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I mean, I think there are plenty of early career types of positions. You just kind of have to look for them. There are tons of companies who need help mailroom-type employees, for lack of a better term to just kind of do the nitty-gritty. Because someone has to do it. Those are the types of people who will then connect with literally everybody around the whole company and understand most how it works. And then those people will more easily move up and see how the day-to-day goes.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Honesty is totally one, collaboration, and I think just being willing to put in the hard work. It doesn't have to be 24-7. I think also taking time to live life. Work to live, not live to work. But also get the job done and take the time to do what you need to do and live your life. Work is not 100% of who you are.
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