Speakers for the 2024 Spring Arrival Orientation

Susan Bridenstine is the Counselor for Public Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki, Finland. Previous overseas postings include Lima, São Paulo, Yerevan, Montevideo, Quito, and Ottawa. In Washington, Ms. Bridenstine served as the Deputy Spokesperson in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs. Ms. Bridenstine holds a B.A. in Global Studies from the University of Iowa and a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College. She is a Fulbright Student Program alumna. 

Sophia is a PhD candidate in the Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies Doctoral Programme (DENVI) in affiliation with the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry and Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS) at the University of Helsinki. Her interdisciplinary research explores the socio-cultural aspects of sustainable transition and food system redesign in the Finnish countryside. In addition, Sophia works part-time as a researcher in the consortium project, “The socio-ecological and politico-economic dynamics of ecological restoration through tree planting schemes in the global South" (TreesForDev.fi), which is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She is involved with the Global Extractivisms and Alternatives Initiative (EXALT) at the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Helsinki, including co-hosting the EXALT Initiative podcast, a monthly conversation with academics, artists, and activists (exalt.fi).  

Birger Holm currently works as a Vice Principal, History and Civics Teacher at Haukilahti School in Espoo. He is the U.S. State Department’s Voluntary Visitor Program alumnus and has promoted interdisciplinary studies in Finland by inspiring English teachers to introduce more U.S. History content in English classes.

Arto Kallioniemi is currently working as a Professor of Religious Education and Vice Dean of International affairs, Societal Interaction and Equality at the University of Helsinki, Faculty of Educational Sciences. He is also UNESCO Chair on Values, Dialogue and Human Rights, and alum of the ASLA-Fulbright Visiting Scholar program as well as Study of the U.S. Institute for Scholars.

Teemu Kokko Ph.D. (Econ.) and adjunct professor is the President at Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences in Helsinki, Finland. During his career he has lived and worked abroad a total of nine years (Moscow, Budapest and Oslo) and he is deeply involved in numerous international activities.Teemu is an ad hoc columnist for two Finnish hospitality industry magazines.

Teijo Koljonen holds a Master of Science degree from the University of Helsinki. He has worked as a teacher, deputy-head and head of school. Currently he is working in the Finnish National Agency for Education as a Senior Adviser in Education with issues related to national curriculum development, teaching of STEM subjects, assessment criteria for learning outcomes and evaluation of grant applications.

The Finnish National Agency for Education is the national development agency responsible for early childhood education and care, pre-primary, primary and secondary education as well as for adult education and training.

Timo Korkeamäki is the Dean of Aalto University Business School. He received his PhD in International Finance from University of South Carolina in 2001. Prior to joining Aalto University, he has taught at Hanken School of Economics in Helsinki, and at Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA. Timo is the Chair of the Fulbright Finland Foundation Board of Directors.

Principal Ilkka Laasonen (M. Sc. principal of the University of Helsinki Viikki Teacher Training school, secondary school) has broad experience of developing and leading schools in Finland. He has worked both in municipality and University schools. He has graduated as a physical education teacher at the University of Jyväskylä in 2006 and graduated from Advanced Educational Leadership-program at the University of Jyväskylä in 2011. Ilkka has worked as a principal for nearly a decade. His first position as a Principal was in municipality of Juuka year 2009. Ever since he has worked in the city of Vantaa as well as getting international experience as a PhD-fellow in the University of Oslo.

Petter Morottaja is a university teacher of Aanaar Saami language at Giellagas Institute in Oulu University. Main interests include Aanaar Saami grammar and structure, translating and literature, and language technology. Morottaja participates actively in linguistic planning and guidance in the Aanaar Saami community, and occasionally performs as livđe-singer, voice-actor, or tv-personality.

Laura Niemeläinen is a Teacher of Finnish as a Second Language in Turku Vocational School where she teaches Finnish to students in the field of Social Services and Health Care. During 2022–23, Laura worked as a Fulbright Language Teaching Assistant at Indiana University, Bloomington.

Work experience

City of Espoo

• Director of Education and Cultural Services, 1 Feb 2019–
• Deputy Director of Education and Cultural Services, 10 Dec 2018–31 Jan 2019
• Principal, Etelä-Tapiolan lukio upper secondary school, 2001–2018
• Deputy Director of Education at the Finnish Education unit, 1 Sep 2014–31 Aug 2015
• Censor, Matriculation Examination Board, 2001–
• Full-time teacher of History and Social Studies, Etelä-Tapiolan lukio upper secondary school, 1996–2000
• Full-time teacher of History and Social Studies, Karakallion yläkoulu secondary school, 1988–1996 

Elizabeth Whitney teaches in the City University of New York, Borough of Manhattan Community College. She was a Fulbright Scholar at University of Turku (2015-2016) and her research on arts communities there is published in SQS: A Journal of Queer Studies in Finland and Liminalities: A Journal of Performance Studies. Her forthcoming autoethnography, Fire & Ice, is about ice swimming as a grieving ritual after her brother’s death from alcohol use disorder. www.elizabethjwhitney.com