Elena is an architect, urban planner and policy maker with a long-standing research experience; 2003–2019 Director General, DG Housing Policy and Urban Development, Ministry of Transport and Construction, Slovakia.
For over two decades participated in shaping the visions of the global, European, and national housing and urban policies, was one of those steering the process toward adoption of the Geneva UN Charter on sustainable housing.
She participated in the Habitat III Bureau and in the Housing Policy Unit during the preparatory process of the New Urban Agenda. She has been one of the coordinators of the Housing Partnership under the EU Urban Agenda. Elena served from 2013 – 2019 as Chair of the UNECE Committee on Housing and Land Management. Since 2020 acts as a Co-chair of the Housing 2030 – joined initiative of the UNECE, Housing Europe and UN Habitat.