Silke Helfrich studied philology and pedagogy in Leipzig, and currently studies economic and social design at Kueser Akademie. For many years she was office manager for the Heinrich Böll Foundation in Central America / Mexico / Cuba and currently lives and works as a freelance journalist in Jena. Helfrich is co-founder of the Commons Strategies Group and of the Commons-Institut e.V., as well as co-author and editor of several books. Her most recent work is Commons. Für eine neue Politik jenseits von Markt und Staat (2012).