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I'm Helena, SAMOK's Chairperson. This year, my desk will feature especially political advocacy, leadership and the parliamentary elections. In my free time, I enjoy good food and music, yoga, series and films, books and swimming (ice swimming too). I also sometimes like to visit museums and browse flea markets! At home I have two cats, Didi and Missy!

I'm Laura Laakso, Vice Chairperson of the SAMOK Board. My areas of responsibility are health and well-being policy, intergenerational policy and political leadership. In my free time, I go jogging and read books, among other things. I love nature and animals. I'm looking forward to everything 2026 will bring in student advocacy!

I'm Suvi, and I serve as a Board Member of SAMOK. I graduated with a Bachelor of Hospitality Management in tourism in summer 2025. At SAMOK, my responsibilities include students' livelihood and housing, communications and SAMOK's annual gala. My path in the student movement started in a subject association in 2022. In my free time, I enjoy video games, like rewatching the same series and films, and also read (or listen to) books.

I'm Senja, and this year I serve as a Board Member of SAMOK, responsible for EU advocacy, international students, international organisational relations and fundraising. I'm studying to become a community educator and specialising in the development of work communities.
In my free time, you'll often find me at Pilates, on the sofa at home with my cat or enjoying live music!

I'm Annu, a Board Member of SAMOK, responsible for education policy and services. In education policy, one big item on my desk will be the vision work for higher education, and in services I'm responsible for, for example, networks, the godparent student union activities and some of SAMOK's events.

I spend my free time in the company of two cats, Masa and Manu, playing good games, watching series or reading books. My favourite colour is pink, and it usually shows.

I’m Aleksi, Executive Director of SAMOK. As the title suggests, I’m responsible for the overall operations of the organisation and for turning our shared goals from plans into action. My main responsibilities include leading our administration and advocacy work as well as managing our staff.

As Executive Director, I keep an eye on the big picture: I coordinate and develop our operations, prepare documents that guide our finances and activities, and support our specialists and Board in their work. Representing SAMOK and working with our stakeholders are also an essential part of my role. At the same time, I consider it important to maintain close ties with the student unions and ensure that our members’ voices are heard in SAMOK’s work.

In my free time, I’m a devoted armchair follower of politics, although every now and then I get off the couch to lift some heavy weights. You can also find me at live gigs or out on long walks.

I'm Aleksi, SAMOK's Senior Communications Adviser. I'm responsible for implementing and coordinating communications, events and training, as well as partnerships.

In communications, I coordinate, provide guidance and train when needed. In concrete terms, my tasks include assisting with the publication of statements, maintaining the website and coordinating social media communications. I also produce content and do language editing. I edit SAMOK's newsletter together with the Board Member responsible for communications, I'm responsible for implementing the communications strategy and keeping it up to date, and I take part in planning advocacy communications.

On the events side, I'm responsible for planning and organising events, as well as event marketing and communications. My tasks also include developing and coordinating the service portfolio, and planning training related to various projects and providing sparring support.

In addition, I'm responsible for SAMOK's fundraising and partnerships.

In my free time, I enjoy travelling, badminton, and good food and wine.

I'm Johanna, SAMOK's Senior Adviser in Education Policy. I'm responsible for issues related to the funding, steering, development and quality of higher education institutions, and I also coordinate EU advocacy and handle matters concerning international students.

In practice, my work involves investigating issues, discussions, writing, participating in working groups and bringing SAMOK's views forward. My desk particularly features themes related to degree structures, the quality system, student admissions, tuition fees, the status of international students, student feedback, RDI activities and digitalisation.

I live in an old wooden house in Turku and actively commute between Turku and Helsinki. My free time is spent doing things with my family and travelling between three big cities. At home, I enjoy both bigger and smaller renovation projects and coming up with ways to extend the lifespan of things by repairing them or repurposing them.

I'm Jere Tapio, SAMOK's Senior Adviser in Well-being Policy.

In the area of student health and well-being, my key responsibility is advocacy related to FSHS. I serve as a Board Member of FSHS and coordinate and support the related advocacy work all the way down to the local level. In addition, I keep a close eye on national social and health policy discussions, safeguarding students' interests, for example from the perspective of service funding. In the area of equality, I make sure, among other things, that being a student is recognised in all its diversity and that students' voices are heard when intergenerational fairness is discussed.

I'm also responsible for coordinating advocacy work between different actors. In other words, I make sure that SAMOK's voice is heard widely, at the right time and effectively. One example of this is preparing and implementing advocacy for the upcoming parliamentary elections and government negotiations, where we make the most of the diverse knowledge and skills of the entire office!
In my free time, I like to enjoy good food or a coffee break, or clear my head with sports, both as a participant and as a spectator! If I have more time, I head out into nature.

I'm Erica, SAMOK's Social Policy Adviser. I work on students' livelihood, benefit systems and housing.
Regarding livelihood and benefit systems, I'm responsible for advocacy related to students' social security. The key issues on my desk include, for example, the student financial aid reform and the social security reform. In housing, we work actively to ensure that students can live at an affordable price with good transport connections.

Alongside national advocacy work, I train and support student unions in local advocacy.

I'm Marjo, and I coordinate SAMOK's Global Education Awareness for UAS Students project. In my free time, I go jogging with my dog and read books, and in summer you're most likely to find me in the vegetable garden.