Autumn General Meeting of Specia’s Anniversary Year 2026 Brought Members Together in Helsinki and Online
On Saturday 22 November 2025, we gathered in warm and enthusiastic spirits as Specia – Association of Experts and Managers – held its Autumn General Meeting at Scandic Hotel Grand Central in Helsinki, with the option to join remotely. We were delighted to welcome a large number of active members on site. Thank you for your participation and the meaningful discussions. Together, we gained a member-driven perspective on future competence needs, wellbeing at work, and how Specia can continue to be the best advocate for multidisciplinary professionals now and in the years ahead.
Before the meeting officially began, on-site participants enjoyed two inspiring expert presentations.
Futures designer Minna Koskelo explored how each of us can approach our future from an active role and what challenges future-oriented thinking poses in today’s rapidly changing working life.
Author and workplace wellbeing coach Kati Boijer-Spoof Heikinheimo captivated the audience with her talk From the Savannah to Teams – Stone-Age Brains in a Modern World. She explained why knowledge work is exhausting, how the body and nervous system respond to overload, and how we can shape our daily routines to better meet the needs of our “stone-age brains”.
Did you know that our working memory is significantly worse than that of our genetic relative, the chimpanzee? This insight sparked warm laughter across the room.
After the presentations, we enjoyed a delicious lunch before transitioning into the official meeting session, where additional members from across Finland joined us remotely.
Decisions of the Autumn General Meeting
As required, the meeting reviewed and approved Specia’s operational plan, budget, and membership fees for 2026. The meeting decided that membership fees will remain unchanged, and the euro amounts will stay the same next year.
Membership Fees 2026
- Employed member: 29 €/month
- Reduced fee: 17 €/month
- Member receiving earnings-related unemployment allowance: 17 €/month
- Student member: 6 €/month (without fund membership: 3 €/month)
- Minimum fee: 8 €/month
- Self-employed persons, entrepreneurs, freelancers: 13 €/month
- Retired member: 10 €/month
Payment information for 2026 will be sent to all members by Akavan Erityisalat at the beginning of the year, and the details will be updated automatically in the electronic member service.
New Board Members for the 2026–2027 Term
The Autumn General Meeting elected new board members to replace those whose terms had ended. Terms of office are shown in parentheses. “New” indicates that the person did not serve on the board during the previous term.
Specia Board 2026
Chair
- Olli Järvelä (2025–2026)
Ordinary Members
- Aino Harinen (2025–2026)
- Saara Jopasin (2025–2026)
- Maija Nyman (2025–2026)
- Sauli Soini (2025–2026)
- Pasi Hario (2026–2027) – new
- Marita Minkkinen (2026–2027)
- Henna Sandroos (2026–2027) – new
- Timo Kalliokoski (2026–2027)
Deputy Members
- Maria Saksholm (2026) – new
- Henrietta Heikkilä (2026)
- Marika Lilja (2026) – new
Student Representatives
- Ordinary student member: Sanni Ijäs – new
- Deputy student member: Anni Harju – new