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Board 2026-2028

Kela’s Parliamentary Trustees nominate Kela’s Board for a three-year term of office. The Board has 10 members. The Board leads and develops Kela’s operations. A representative of the Kela staff has the right to attend and to be heard at Board meetings. The Director General presents matters to the Board and implements the decisions of the Board.

Chair

Jaana Laitinen-Pesola

Deputy chair

Kai Järvikare
Chief Administrative Officer

Members of the Board

Vertti Kiukas
Secretary General, SOSTE Finnish Federation for Social Affairs and Health

Velipekka Nummikoski
Director

Juha Rehula
Municipal manager

Pirkko Ruohonen-Lerner

Minna Saario
Director General, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health

Saana Siekkinen
Director, Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions

Riitta Särkelä
Counsellor of Social Welfare 

Tommi Toivola
Director, Legal Affairs and Administration, Confederation of Finnish Industries

Secretary

Heli Korhola
Director, Strategic Management Unit, Kela

Representative of Kela staff

Tuija Sarlin
Chair, Kela staff association

Last modified 2/1/2026