President of the Association of Local and Regional Authorities of Norway and Co-President of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) and President of the Regional Chamber of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe.

Norwegian politician, militant of the Høyre and governor of the province of Telemark.

Helgesen served as deputy representative of the Norwegian Parliament during the periods 1993-1997, 1997-2001, 2001-2005, 2005-2009 and 2009-2013. In total he attended during 68 days of parliamentary session. From 1995 to 2003 she was deputy of the province of Telemark, and since 2003 has been mayor of this. She was the successor of Halvdan Skard in December 2013 as president of the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities.