Heini Utunen

Dr Heini Utunen is the Regional Mayor of the South Savo Region. She has about 20 years of international background in various United Nations and European Union functions, including in crisis management, natural resources sustainability and programming. Prior the UN functions in Vietnam and Switzerland she functioned as the Communication Officer of the Minister of Social Services and Welfare in Finland and in various EU-funded regional development related employments. Mrs Utunen holds a PhD in Information Sciences from Tampere University and completed a Master School on Rural Studies in Mikkeli, Finland. Mrs Utunen is part of the Finnish military reserve force.