Hi, I’m Helen Huiskes (pronounced high-skiss).

I'm a national politics reporter with vast experience covering Capitol Hill. I'm currently at NOTUS, where I've done everything from leading daily Senate news to producing expansive features on policy issues in Western states; from breaking news on campaigns to sitting down one-on-one with lawmakers to find out what makes them tick.

Previously, I covered local news in Washington, D.C. and my hometown of Portland, Ore. I've also reported enterprising stories on higher education, focusing on how faith issues, student activism, budget gaps and national politics have put unique pressures on colleges and universities.

For three years, I was the Editor in Chief of the Wheaton Record, my alma mater's award-winning student newspaper, during which time I led it through a shift to a digital-first publication and reignited student interest in reading and working for the paper. There, I also covered contentious stories about political tensions on campus and a series of faculty and staff cuts that rocked the institution.

In my free time, I enjoy learning languages, overcooking my food and analyzing TV shows.