Soheila Mikkonen
Soheila Mikkonen
Creating Connection through Meaningful Media & Communication
 
Communication Expert Soheila Mikkonen

📷: Else Kyhälä

Hi, nice to meet you, and welcome! 😊

I’m Soheila. I create meaningful connections through media, communication, and storytelling. With nearly 20 years of experience as a content wizard and purpose expert, helping ideas that matter connect with people has become my trademark. I’m all about creating positive impact in the world.

Connection always starts with emotion. For an idea to truly land, it needs a narrative that people can relate to, feel, and remember. My work in content creation, communication strategy, and hybrid events includes collaborations with organizations such as The Finnish Society on Media Education, Edita Publishing (part of Nordic Morning Group), ITV Studios, Warner Bros., Banijay Group, Endemol Shine, Yle (Finnish Broadcasting Company), Aller Media, Ubisoft RedLynx, and the City of Oulu, among others.

As an international content professional with a strong foundation in positive psychology, my expertise spans social media, TV and video, journalism, and coaching. Over the years, I’ve helped HR teams refine storytelling and tone of voice, developed communication strategies using service design tools to improve cross-channel impact, hosted TV shows and training videos, worked as a journalist and screenwriter, and trained clients to build credibility as speakers.

I’ve also gamified everything from salary negotiations to astronaut skills and employee onboarding, recruited, cast, and directed talent, and co-created and co-hosted an online course on presentation skills and the role of storytelling in long-term learning.

I like to toss learning experience design, cognitive and behavioral science, and design thinking into my creative blender. If we agree on the flavor, it’s a go.

I’m particularly excited about contributing to a more sustainable future through purpose coaching and multiplatform storytelling. Well-being, innovation, and social transformation? Count me in.

I love working with committed people who enjoy pushing boundaries. I bring a strong doer’s mindset to creating meaningful, scalable, and globally resonant work.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Warm regards,

Soheila in studio.JPG

📷: Lauri Saviharju

 

Kuvauksissa pieni.jpeg

Full of ideas small.jpeg

Work Experience and Education

On location small.jpeg

Positive Psychology Practitioner™

The most comprehensive positive psychology study program in Finland, based on Joylla’s science-backed Frame of Flourishing®, inspired by Dr. Martin E. P. Seligman’s PERMA model. Graduated in 2025 from Tampere Summer University and Joylla.

Online and Hybrid Event Producer

Hybrid Ninja – Event production training, Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences – Haaga-Helia ammattikorkeakoulu, 2023.

Solution-focused coach, LCF Life Coach®

Training based on cognitive and behavioral science, solution-focused coaching, and positive psychology. Graduated in 2022 from Valmentamo.

MA in Media Production

Master of Culture and Arts, Degree Programme in Media Production (Medianomi YAMK). Graduated in 2014 from Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences – Metropolia Ammattikorkeakoulu.

BA in Journalism

Bachelor degree in Communication, Journalism track. Graduated in 2006 from Oulu University of Applied Sciences – Oulun seudun ammattikorkeakoulu.


Communications Specialist

Jan 2025 →

Communications Specialist at The Bahá'í Community of Finland, which applies the spiritual teachings of the Bahá’í Faith together with people of all backgrounds to improve social conditions. We seek to learn about how the idea of the unity of humanity brings about spiritual and social transformation.

Content strategy, social media management, storytelling, media relations, press releases, research, journalism, relationship building, events, cultural intelligence, teamwork.

Communications Development Specialist

Oct 2025 – Dec 2025

Communications Development Specialist at The Finnish Society on Media Education, a non-governmental expert organization for media education, and a national youth organization that promotes and develops media education in Finland.

Communication strategy, content development, reviewing internal and external communication processes and practices to improve impact and effectiveness across channels, communication campaigns and events, producing a journalistic interview series.

Executive / Media Producer and Developer

Jan 2024 – May 2025

Executive / Media Producer and Developer at Gutsy Go – an award-winning communal method, combining media, pedagogy, and peace work. The Gutsy Go method gives youth tools for building peace within their communities and surroundings. While working together to help others, young people strengthen their well-being, self-esteem, and mental health. The peace solutions are filmed and shared at local premieres, on social media, and across traditional news outlets.

Producing, assisting with funding and collaborations, peace-building, working with youth, brand development, pedagogy, coaching, research, storytelling, content creation and communication, producing newsletters, registered association work.

Content Midwife, Creative Producer, Content Creator

Apr 2021 →
Content creation for Mediakunta’s clients: video and TV productions, concepts and formats, casting, talent hunt, fixer, SEO blogs and content writing, story arcs, marketing, and communications.

Story Architect

September 2020 – December 2020

Story Architect for outdoor adventure app Mapventure.

Content creation and writing outdoor adventures for the game. Production tasks and organizing game testing. Project tracking.

Learning Experience Producer

May 2019 – September 2020

Learning Experience Producer at Edita Publishing, part of Nordic Morning Group – a knowledge company providing smart learning and curated information services. Responsible for content creation in information solutions and tailored, collaborative learning products for public, private, and third-sector clients. Work included multiplatform storytelling and production, serving as Head of Story for serious games, developing learning experiences on e-learning platforms, instructing in-person trainings and workshops, co-creating and co-hosting an online course on presentation skills and the impact of storytelling on long-term learning, and producing social media content and content marketing videos.

Screenwriter, Content Creator

October 2015 – June 2018

Content Creation for Space Nation Navigator – the game app designed in partnership with NASA & Axiom Space. Players train core astronaut skills, astronaut attitude, problem solving, and ultimately a chance of advancing to a filmed astronaut bootcamp. Format development for Space Nation transmedia production and screenwriting for the web series.


Field Director, Journalist, Profile Interviews, Screenwriter, Researcher, Script Supervisor in TV productions

June 2023

Journalist in television baking competition Koko Suomi leipoo (The Great Finnish Bake Off), season 9. Produced by Warner Bros. International Television Production Finland, aired on MTV3. The Finnish version of The Great British Bake Off in which a group of amateur bakers compete against each other in a series of rounds, attempting to impress two judges with their baking skills.

April – October 2023 and June – October 2022

Journalist in food reality competition Suomalainen menestysresepti, seasons 4 and 5. Produced by Mediawan Finland, aired on MTV3. TV contest for small and medium-sized businesses around food innovations.

August – September 2022

Journalist and screenwriter for live slow TV show Kekäläinen kiertueella – Satokauden sankarit around the harvest season and Finnish food. Produced by Yle. Streamed daily 24/7 on streaming service Yle Areena during the last week of September 2022.

October 2018, October 2019

Profile interviews for Elossa 24h (Keeping the Nation Alive Finland) , season 3 (2018), and 4 (2019). Snapshot of a nation's healthcare system, where personal stories and real-life situations are captured on a single day. Produced by ITV Studios Finland, aired on Yle TV1 (8 episodes).

May 2018

Profile interviews for Neljät häät Suomi (Four Weddings Finland), season 2. Four brides attend each other's weddings and rate them based on dress, venue, food, and overall experience. Produced by ITV Studios Finland, aired on Liv and Nelonen (9 episodes).

May – December 2012

Journalist in docu-reality series Ypäjä. Produced by Susamuru Oy (now Stooritaivas), aired on Yle TV2 (20 episodes).

Field director, Journalist in three short stories for a televised charity concert, Kids Rock, 2012. Produced by Susamuru Oy (now Stooritaivas), aired on Nelonen.

September – October 2012

Journalist, Script Supervisor in kids’ detective / adventure show Sherlock. Produced by Susamuru Oy (now Stooritaivas), aired on MTV3 Juniori.

February – April 2012

Journalist, Script Supervisor in ski resort reality series Ylläs – huipulla tuulee. Produced by Matila Röhr Nordisk (now Warner Bros. Finland), aired on Sub (12 episodes).

January – March 2011

Field Director, Script Supervisor in reality series Lentokenttä (The Helsinki- Vantaa Airport). Produced by Matila Röhr Nordisk (now Warner Bros. Finland), aired on channels Jim and Nelonen (40 episodes).

January – February 2009, January – February 2010 and October – December 2010

Insert interviews for the reality talent contest Kuorosota (Clash of the Choirs), where popular Finnish music personalities arrange a choir and compete against each other weekly – seasons 1, 2, and 3. Produced by Metronome Film&Television (now Endemol Shine Finland), aired on Nelonen.

March 2009

Journalist, Script Supervisor in docu-reality series Kylä ilman naisia (based on The Week The Women Went by BBC), March 2009. Produced by Matila Röhr Nordisk (now Warner Bros. Finland), aired on Yle, TV1 (8 episodes).

November – December 2008 and February – May 2009

Journalist and researcher for senior citizen TV show Saimi&Jalmari, seasons 1 and 2. Produced and aired by The Finnish Broadcasting Company Yle TV1.

April – September 2008

Journalist and researcher for Sinun, minun ja meidän lapset, a nordic TV series on blended families (one episode). Produced by YLE, DR, UR and NRK, aired on Yle Teema.


Journalist, Writer, SEO content creation

2021–2023

Content creation and search engine optimized blogs: published on consumer & business karaoke service Singa's public website in 2021–2023.

Career stories: published on solution-focused training center Valmentamo's public website in 2021.

2019–2020

Stories published on multiplatform game development studio Ubisoft RedLynx’s intranet in 2019. Career stories published on Ubisoft RedLynx’s public website in 2020–2021.

February – September 2008

Journalist at TV and movie magazine Katso (Aller Media).

November 2005 – May 2006

Articles and stories for Ouluvoima, an energy company customer magazine.

March 2004 – May 2006

Articles and stories for a weekly local paper, Forum24.


Local Fixer and Producer / Finland

April – August 2023

The Finland episode of the Dutch TV series Jezus van Nazareth, produced by EO.

Production Manager

December 2015 – February 2015

Top Chef Suomi: Kaksintaistelu (Top Chef Duels Finland) – reality TV show, where Top Chefs compete in culinary challenges. Produced by Banijay Finland, aired on Sub (10 episodes).

Local Fixer, Production Assistant

December 2005

MadLab, TV-series introducing technological inventions from around the world (2005). Produced by Cineflix Productions. Aired on the National Geographic Channel.


Casting Director

April – May 2015

Paratiisihotelli (Paradise Hotel Finland), season 1. Produced by Zodiak Finland (now Banijay Finland), aired on Nelonen (20 episodes).

Casting of Extras / Finland

February – March 2006

German TV-movie Vom Ende der Eiszeit (2006), director Friedemann Fromm. Produced by Ziegler Film GmbH & Co.KG.


TV Director

July – September 2013

Pelasta perheemme Supermarjo! Reality TV series about home economics and dysfunctional families. Produced by Aito Media, aired on Liv (10 episodes).

TV Director, Scriptwriter

April – October 2011

Documentary series Kansallisaarre (National Treasure) season 2, three episodes (Aalto vase, Salmiakki and Unikko pattern). Produced and aired by The Finnish Broadcasting Company, Yle TV2.

September – October 2010

Inserts for children’s sports show Poinzi. Produced and aired by The Finnish Broadcasting Company, Yle TV2.

May – October 2009 and May – August 2010

Lifestyle and handicraft show Ratula, seasons 1 and 2. Produced by Tarinatalo (now ITV Studios Finland), aired on Sub (10–12 episodes).

2004 – 2005
Documentary film Viuluavioliitto (Married To Violin), 28 min, diploma work, (2004–2005). Produced by Oulu University of Applied Sciences, aired on Yle Teema.

Scriptwriter

June – September 2004

Commercial short film Oulu – A State of Mind for the 400th Anniversary of the city of Oulu (2004–2005). Produced by Klaffi Tuotannot.


TV Host, Reporter (VJ)

January – December 2007

Music channel The Voice TV (SBS Finland Oy), TV host and reporter (VJ) for weekly shows: The Official Finnish Download Chart, Top 10 Viewers’ Chart, Top 10 My Chart, and Top 10 Party Chart.


July – December 2006

Youth show Superfarmi. Produced and aired by The Finnish Broadcasting Company, Yle TV2.


2nd Assistant Director

August – September 2005 and March – April 2006

Adventure movie (90 min) Suden arvoitus (Mystery of the Wolf), director Raimo O. Niemi. Produced by Kinoproduction (2005–2006).

Assistant Director, Location Manager

Summer 2006
Music video “Rush” for goth metal band Poisonblack (2006) / Century MediaRecords. Produced by Klaffi Tuotannot Oy.


Intern Reporter

June – August 2002

Oulu Radio / Yle Radio Suomi / The Finnish Broadcasting Company. Interviews, editing, live reporting.


September 2000 – April 2001

Radioasema Q (local radio station) in Oulu, Finland.


Activities in Organizations

Member:

  • Gutsy Go ry Board

  • The Union of Journalists in Finland

  • Conciliatory Journalists in Finland – Sopiva ry

  • Copyright organisation Kopisto

  • The International Baha’i Community


Voluntary Work

March – May 2013

Voluntary Publicist at the Office of Public Affairs of The Baha'is of India in New Delhi. Press releases, statements, articles, appeals, abstracts, campaign assistant.

April – May 2010

Voluntary work at the Native American Baha’i Institute (Nabi) in the Navajo Nation, Arizona, USA.

July 1999 – August 2000

Voluntary work at the Baha’i World Centre in Haifa, Israel (Department of Cleaning and Maintenance).

Productions