Experts - Get to know our team and trusted partners!
Ellimaija Ahonen
CEO
Partner
Johanna Järvinen-Taubert
Pedagogical director
Partner
Päivi Valtonen
Pedagogical specialist
Partner
Jukka Miettunen
Principal
Partner
Ellimaija Ahonen is an experienced professional in the fields of education and training. For over 20 years she has encountered hundreds of people while coaching in Finland and abroad. She has collaborated with companies, public organizations, projects and associations. She is also one of the Co-Founders of LessonApp.
She loves to collaborate with different stakeholders and build fruitful relationships with customers. At Learning Scoop, Ellimaija is in charge of business model development, partnerships and running everyday business. She is passionate about reaching milestones together with her team. You get her attention immediately when talking about sustainability and impact in education.
During her free time she is an active senator among Junior Chamber International movement and aims to provide development opportunities that empower young people to create positive change. She also loves to spend time with her family at the summer cottage, pick mushrooms in the forest and take a plunge in icy water after sauna.
Johanna Järvinen-Taubert has dedicated her career to promoting learning in diverse ways and contexts. With experience as a teacher, teacher trainer, and university researcher in Finland, she has spent 30 years training educators across early childhood, primary, secondary, and higher education in professional development programs. Additionally, she has served as a teacher trainer at two Finnish universities.
In her role as the pedagogical director of LessonApp and Learning Scoop in Finland, Johanna has focused on training teachers, students, and education experts globally. Her mission is to share ideas and best practices with educators from various countries. The most inspiring part of her current work is meeting passionate educators worldwide and learning from each other. In recent years, she has also contributed as a pedagogical expert to the development of LessonApp, a digital tool for lesson planning used by teachers globally.
Johanna is an enthusiastic and inspiring trainer with extensive experience in the field. She has published several articles on education and teachers’ professional development and is one of the editors and authors of the book Finnish Education in Practice – What, Why and How, published in 2021.
Päivi is a partner and pedagogical specialist at Learning Scoop with a background in educational research and teacher professional development. She specializes in creating pedagogical content, including the design of continuing education programs and training sessions, as well as developing resources and materials for educators. Päivi enjoys designing and organizing educational workshops and study tours, approaching her work with a structured approach.
Päivi has a strong interest in teaching strategies, particularly collaborative methods. She is one of the Co-Founders of LessonApp and has contributed to the application's design and the creation of its educational contents. She firmly believes that teaching is fundamentally a form of assistance, dedicated to guiding others toward personal development and success.
Päivi holds a Licentiate of Education degree and is a qualified supervisor, helping individuals reflect on their work experiences, emotions, and challenges to gain new insights.
Born in the archipelago of the Gulf of Finland, Päivi proudly identifies as an islander at heart, finding joy in the serenity of nature, peace, and quiet.
Jukka Miettunen is a project manager in a national ICT-project for school administration. He has been a principal of three different schools in Oulu area. He worked in Educational and Cultural Services of Oulu as a pedagogical advisor on ICT and a project manager for seven years. In addition, he had a position at Microsoft as an international coach to mentor schools. His task was to coach the school leaders in a change management process. Jukka has also coordinated Sister School co-operation between Chinese city of Hangzou and his home town Oulu.
As a school leader Mr. Miettunen coached his staff to foster the learning of the 21st Century Skills and working life skills among students. Together with his staff, they have built as modern STEAM learning environment Värkkäämö to serve cross-curriculum projects and teacher’s co-operation.
Jukka´s expertise lies in 21st century learning and 21st century learning environment solutions, leadership and educational technology, especially STEAM-pedagogy. Furthermore, Jukka works as a leadership expert in Learning Scoop and has hosted and coached several delegations from all over the world.
Kaisa Tuomarla
Class teacher
Pedagogical specialist
Teemu Nieminen
Class and subject teacher
Pedagogical specialist
Elena Chukhlantseva
Early childhood education teacher
Anna-Maria Haukkala
Special education teacher
Kaisa Tuomarla works as a pedagogical expert in the city administration of Tampere. Her responsibilities include the curriculum development in basic education, co-operation between pre-school and primary school and subject-emphasized education.
Kaisa Tuomarla worked as a class teacher in Tampere, Finland for 23 years (grades 1-6 and all subjects). She is enthusiastic in activity-based learning and using various teaching methods. Kaisa Tuomarla has led several projects with children based on teamwork and children teaching one another: letting children to study and make their own research, using different kinds of learning environments etc. Her passion is developing the skills that the future requires: social knowledge, teamwork skills, ability to listen and to work with other people.
Kaisa Tuomarla worked three years as a tutor teacher, training her colleagues in Tampere in co-teaching, entrepreneurship education and work-life skills, work well-being and communality. She has experience as a substitute principal and as a long-time member of school’s management team.
Mr. Teemu Nieminen has worked in various roles in the field of education more than 20 years. He has worked as a classroom teacher, subject teacher, vice principal, teacher trainer at a university's teacher training school and educational expert in Finland, Qatar, Kazakhstan and China. Currently, he is working as a pedagogical expert at the City of Tampere, Finland focusing on assessment and curriculum development in primary and lower secondary education.
Mr. Nieminen holds a Master of Education in Classroom Teaching and a Master of Science in Interactive Media. He is also qualified to act as a principal and holds a certificate in educational administration.
As a teacher, his main principle is to challenge students to achieve the best possible results in any given situation. He prefers active learning, understanding and applying what he has learnt instead of passively sitting and remembering things superficially.
Elena Chukhlantseva has gained over 20 years of academic and practical experience in multicultural and multilingual educational settings. She is a trained English language teacher and a class teacher. Also, she holds a master’s degree in International and Comparative Education specializing in Educational Leadership and Management. In addition to having conducted scientific research in the field of sociology of education, she has taught in both Finnish and bilingual early childhood education centers and schools and co-managed an early childhood education center.
For the last few years, Elena Chukhlantseva has trained teachers, experts and other interested stakeholders both in Finland and abroad on different topics of Finnish education.
As an ECEC Specialist, Elena Chukhlantseva has focused on training about Finnish early years education and primary education, on collaborating with partners in developing Finnish-inspired curriculum for early years and on promoting the best Finnish educational practices.
Anna Haukkala holds a Master’s degree in Education, specializing in Special Education. She works as a special education teacher and serves as a learning support specialist at Learning Scoop. Anna has extensive experience working as both a special class teacher and a broad-based special education teacher in both upper and lower secondary schools. She is well-versed in organizing and implementing learning support for students with learning difficulties, challenges in self-regulation and concentration, behavioral issues, and difficulties in emotional and social skills.
Anna’s goal in her work is to find ways to support each student individually and to identify practices that enhance students’ learning, self-esteem, and motivation at both group and individual levels within the school community.
At her workplace, Toivio School, Anna has focused on strengthening ecological and social sustainable development within the school culture. Enhancing student participation, equality, and community is close to her heart.
In her free time, Anna enjoys trail running in nature, both leisurely jogging with her dog in nearby forests and more competitively in longer-distance running events. Swimming and sauna sessions at her island cottage year-round are also among her favorite ways to relax.
Kati Keski-Mäenpää
Teacher trainer
PhD
Hanna Lehikoinen
Special education teacher
Class teacher
Sanna Leinonen
Special education teacher
Subject teacher, High school
Anu Lumiaho
Early childhood education teacher
Kati Keski-Mäenpää is an experienced classroom teacher and university lecturer. She has worked in teaching positions not only in Finland but also in various African countries, Australia, and Japan.
Dr. Keski-Mäenpää's areas of expertise include active teaching methods, phenomenon-based and project-based teaching, inclusion, and the comprehensive activation of students through various student-centered teaching methods. She has a solid understanding of Finnish education and curriculum through both her practical experience and scientific research.
When training teachers, Keski-Mäenpää employs engaging and inspiring methods that stimulate the teachers' and student teachers' own innovations and help them develop professionally. She has experience in teaching at various levels, including early childhood education, preschool, primary school, and high school. Currently, she works at a university, training future teachers.
Kati Keski-Mäenpää has published several scientific articles, textbooks, children's books, and a book for teachers titled New Directions in Teaching: Stories from Finnish Classrooms (2019).
Hanna Lehikoinen is a special education teacher and a teacher trainer in University's teacher training school in Tampere, Finland. She is passionate about inclusion in practice, diverse teaching methods and how to make schools equal places for all children.
Hanna has a long experience in teaching and knows Finnish educational system thoroughly. She loves history and spending time on their own little island with her husband, two sons and a dog.
Sanna Leinonen has dedicated many years to the field of education, serving in various roles such as high school teacher, assistant principal, online teacher, curriculum developer, instructional coach, teacher leader, and educational consultant. She has leveraged her skills in Educational Technology, Project-Based Learning (PBL), collaborative methods, and student engagement to create an inclusive and engaging learning environment for all students.
Sanna is a co-author of the high school English language textbook series Culture Café and has taught grades 1-6 and 7-12 in both traditional and blended settings. She has also worked as a department head in a community college. Sanna has presented and conducted workshops at numerous conferences in Finland and also abroad.
As an enthusiastic and experienced teacher trainer and coach, Sanna aims to inspire individual teachers and teacher teams in their continuous professional development. She supports them in enhancing their performance and wellbeing on the job and helps establish sustainable relationships built on trust and collaboration. She firmly believes that the best results are achieved through collaboration.
Sanna is passionate about teachers’ professional development, organizational trust, collaborative learning, and co-creation. As a pedagogical specialist at Learning Scoop, Finland, she has focused on training about Finnish education, collaborating with partners to develop Finnish-inspired curricula, and promoting the best Finnish educational practices. In 2017, she was awarded the Fulbright Distinguished Teacher Award.
In addition to her extensive experience, Sanna has expertise in special education. She has worked with students with diverse learning needs, developing tailored education plans and implementing effective teaching strategies to ensure all students receive the support they need to succeed. Her work in special education includes assessing individual student needs, coordinating specialized services, and fostering an inclusive educational environment.
Sanna has also contributed to the field through her published article in the book Transformative Teaching Around the World: Stories of Cultural Impact, Technology Integration, and Innovative Pedagogy. This book compiles inspiring stories from teachers whose instructional practices have impacted schools and communities globally.
Anu Lumiaho is a trained and experienced early childhood education teacher. She has worked mainly in daycares in Finland, but also in Italy. This experience, together with other experiences of living abroad, has enhanced her understanding of different educational systems and cultural aspects.
Her areas of expertise are multicultural and multilingual education, and special education. She is also passionate about professional development. Her practical experience in early childhood education has been gained in multicultural settings and working with children with special needs. As a teacher her biggest guidelines are equity, diversity and inclusion. She believes that her most important job as a teacher is to create possibilities for each child to learn, with joy.
Her enthusiasm and expertise in the field of multicultural education and in general in early childhood education has led her for example to coordinating international projects at work, hosting international guests and working as an ECEC specialist for Learning Scoop.
Sanna Oikarinen
Principal
Tommi Roininen
Principal
Nina Ukkola
Subject teacher
Satu Muja
Subject teacher, primary and secondary school
Sanna Oikarinen has worked in Finnish schools for over 30 years, first as a subject teacher in upper secondary school and now for 21 years as an upper secondary school principal. Educational management and leadership are her fields of expertise.
In her career she has been especially interested in pupils´ wellbeing and educational support. She is also interested in developing guidance and councelling as an essential part of school life. Accommodating national reforms in the Finnish school system to the everyday life of school throughout the years has been very challenging but also very rewarding.
Sanna has lived for a few years in Australia and this experience has enhanced her insight in different educational systems and approaches.
She is also a trained process consultant and work supervisor and mentor. In Learning Scoop Sanna has worked as a trainer covering various topics around educational management and pedagogical leadership.
Tommi Roininen is a principal in Pitkäjärvi Junior High School in the city of Kangasala. There are around 500 students and 43 teachers in Pitkäjärvi School and the students are from 13 to 16 years old. Tommi has long teaching experience as a subject teacher (mathematics and IT) in junior high school / lower secondary school. In addition, he has previously worked as a class teacher in primary school too.
Tommi's passion is communication and problem solving as teamwork. His core values include transparency, honesty and trust. As a principal he is guided by the idea of a learner-centered positive approach. Tommi's motto is: “The most important thing in communication is trying to hear what isn’t said.”
Nina Ukkola has worked in Finnish schools for over 20 years, mostly as a subject teacher for languages in basic education. Throughout her career the sources of motivation and enthusiasm for her have been learning and developing professionally, sharing knowledge and cooperating with education professionals from near and far.
Nina has lived in both the UK and Germany, which has provided valuable insights into the educational systems of both countries both as a parent and as a teacher. In Germany she worked as a primary teacher in an international school (ISA). This international experience has enhanced her understanding of diverse academic approaches and cultural perspectives.
Nina has worked as an expert teacher supporting and training teachers in deployment of the curriculum. She has also worked as a coordinator for international projects such as Erasmus+, which is an EU programme supporting education and offering schools opportunities for cooperation.
Furthermore, Nina is committed to exploring innovative ways to incorporate technology into the learning and teaching processes. She believes that IT and digital tools offer significant opportunities not only for students but also for teachers.
Satu Muja has worked as a classroom teacher and as a content area teacher both in Finland and in the US. She holds a Master’s Degree in Craft Education with a minor in Classroom Teaching from the University of Helsinki and a Master’s Degree in Teaching English as a Second Language (ESOL) from the Notre Dame Maryland University.
Early on in her career Satu worked as a teacher in Finland, first as a classroom teacher, and later as a Textiles Craft teacher at the elementary level. In each of the schools, she contributed to the curriculum development for teaching crafts including the student’s self-assessment criteria in craft education. Later, as a High School ESL Teacher in the US, Satu provided professional training to the content area teachers including topics like second language learning, cultural awareness, differentiation, scaffolding for the different levels of language development, and equitable assessment practices.
Satu has always been passionate about the learner’s active roles in their own learning. Satu has encouraged students’ curiosity, motivation, and collaboration by utilizing a variety of teaching methods, materials, and tools. She believes that learning by doing amplifies the understanding and applies to students in class and to teachers in professional trainings. Real learning requires engagement!
Piia Ukura
Subject teacher, teacher trainer, pedagogical specialist, PhD student
Heidi Lamminsivu
Marketing, AD
Tuomas Taubert
ICT specialist
Heidi Riikonen
Customer service, study tour host
Sustainability specialist
Piia Ukura has worked in various roles in the field of education more than 20 years. She has worked as a subject teacher, mentor teacher, teacher trainer, pedagogical coordinator, educational expert and an author of the learning material. In addition to her work as a teacher and teacher trainer, Piia is writing her PhD in literacy and cooperation between home and school.
Piia Ukura specializes in literacy, language awareness, inclusion, active learning methods and home-school cooperation. As a teacher, she wants to challenge students to achieve the best possible results in any given situation. Piia enjoys designing and organizing educational workshops and she is enthusiastic and inspirational trainer and lecturer who combines deep pedagogical knowledge with practical classroom experience and academic insight.
In her free time, Piia relaxes by reading literature and spending time in nature. She enjoys trail running, hiking and ski hiking in the Finnish forests and Norwegian fells with her family.
Heidi Lamminsivu is a digital marketing and graphic design expert with a background in business administration. She holds a Vocational Qualification in Business Administration, specializing in digital marketing, and has completed a module in sustainable development. Currently, she is continuing her studies at an open university of applied sciences.
At Learning Scoop, Heidi develops visual branding, marketing strategies, and content for digital platforms. Her work supports the mission of making high-quality educational resources more accessible worldwide. Heidi is passionate about the intersection of digital marketing, sustainability, and user experience, drawing inspiration from the balance between creativity, technology, and storytelling.
In her free time, Heidi enjoys playing online and board games, taking forest walks with music, and baking cheesecakes. She has a deep appreciation for both digital and traditional art, as well as a strong love for cats.
Tuomas Taubert oversees two key areas at Learning Scoop: ICT and the Finnish Sauna experience. With a Master’s degree in Computer Science from Tampere University, where he specialized in software development, Tuomas brings valuable technical expertise to the team.
As ICT support at Learning Scoop, Tuomas is responsible for developing new features and troubleshooting technical issues, ensuring smooth digital operations. He is also a Co-Founder and the CTO of LessonApp, a longstanding partner of Learning Scoop, which provides an innovative tool to help teachers design more effective lessons.
Beyond the digital realm, Tuomas shares a unique aspect of Finnish culture by guiding visitors through the Finnish Sauna Experience during Study Tours.
Heidi Riikonen has graduated from a Master’s program called Lifelong Learning and Education from Tampere University and has gained a comprehensive understanding of education as a part of society. In her studies she specialized in the themes of sustainability education, psychology and social sciences. Additionally, she has studied Educational Anthropology in Aarhus University in Denmark. Her passion is to promote the wellbeing of people and the planet through education in all age groups.
In her work in Learning Scoop and of LessonApp, Heidi has taken care of our customers from all around the world as a study tour host and expert of Finnish educational system. She brings fresh perspectives to pedagogical development work and writes for the blog about our customers' experiences and other interesting topics.
Outi Ahola
Study tour host
Iiris Taubert
Study tour host
Outi Ahola has a profound interest in social interaction, sustainability and pursuing the aspired potential of organizations and individuals. She has extensive experience in customer service and group leadership, which supports her position as study tour host at Learning Scoop. As a host she is conversational, kind and always ready to help.
Outi is finishing her master’s degree in general and adult education at Tampere University. In her BA thesis she studied leadership for learning in working life and as a research assistant she has obtained expertise in game-based collaborative learning and embodying education.
Due to her interest in multiculturality, Outi has acquired international experience in multiple settings. She has lived in Germany for an exchange semester, studying the social and educational differences and similarities of Germany and Finland. She has also acted as the international coordinator at her student organization at Tampere University, being responsible for organizing tutoring for international students and encouraging Finnish students to take on international opportunities during their studies.
Iiris Taubert is one of the younger professionals in Learning Scoop. She recently graduated with a Masters of Education from Tampere University specializing in lifelong learning and education.
Iiris has done substitute teaching earlier alongside her studies and has also been working with Learning Scoop from 2016 onwards. Iiris was also very active in the student community while studying, for example she was the Chair of the Student Union of Tampere University in 2021.
Iiris’ bachelor thesis was comparing the curricula of Australia and Finland in how much they give and restrict teacher’s autonomy, and her master’s thesis was focusing on what young adults learn in challenging leadership positions alongside their studies. Both represent Iiris’ interests very well, as she is very curious about other countries’ educational systems, but also is interested in work-integrated learning.
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Dr. Kenneth Vella
Principal
Malta
Dr. Thant Htoo AungMay Oo Khin
Myanmar, Thailand
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Kolmas bio: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce fermentum eros vel tortor sollicitudin porta. Morbi tortor tellus, consequat sit amet est sit amet, rutrum fermentum urna. Aenean luctus condimentum urna, ac elementum orci dapibus nec. Integer cursus, odio eu efficitur porta, lacus tortor lacinia velit, eu aliquam nisi mi et nisl. Mauris id est non arcu imperdiet imperdiet non quis nulla. Phasellus dapibus molestie ullamcorper. Ut luctus pellentesque ex ut feugiat. Sed congue eget mi quis congue.
Neljäs bio: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce fermentum eros vel tortor sollicitudin porta. Morbi tortor tellus, consequat sit amet est sit amet, rutrum fermentum urna. Aenean luctus condimentum urna, ac elementum orci dapibus nec. Integer cursus, odio eu efficitur porta, lacus tortor lacinia velit, eu aliquam nisi mi et nisl. Mauris id est non arcu imperdiet imperdiet non quis nulla. Phasellus dapibus molestie ullamcorper. Ut luctus pellentesque ex ut feugiat. Sed congue eget mi quis congue.