Aino-Kaisa Pekonen

Personal details

Minister of Social Affairs and Health, 10 December 2019 to present
Practical Nurse, Member of Parliament, Left Alliance
Date and place of birth: 24 January 1979, Riihimäki
Place of residence: Riihimäki

Political career

Minister of Social Affairs and Health, 10 December 2019 to present
Minister of Social Affairs and Health, 6 June 2019–10 December 2019
Left Alliance Parliamentary Group, Chair 23 April 2015 to present
Left Alliance, 1st Deputy Party Leader, 2013–2015, Left Alliance, 2nd Deputy Party Leader 2007–2013

Member of Parliament, 2011 to present
Parliament work

Riihimäki Local Council, Member 2014 to present, 1st Vice Chair 2017–2019
Riihimäki City Council, 3rd Vice Chair 2013–2017

Assembly of the Regional Council of Häme, Member 2004– (ended)

Other work experience and societal responsibilities

Riihimäen seudun nuorisoasunnot Ry (Riihimäki district youth housing), Counsellor 2010–2011
Riihimäki District Health Care Centre, Practical Nurse 2006–2009
RTV-Yhtymä Oy, Cashier 2002–2006
Hihhihhii Oy, Programme Salesperson 2001
Oljamikoti Oy, Substitute Nurse 2000–2001
McDonald's, Restaurant Worker 1997–2000

Tradeka Board of Representatives, Member 2016–2019
Alko, Supervisory Board, Member 2016–2019
HIV Foundation, Chair 2015–2019
Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Services (JHL), Union Council Representative 2012–2019
Parliamentary Trustees of the Social Insurance Institution of Finland 2011–2015
VR Group Ltd, Supervisory Board, Member 2009–2015

Other information

Spouse: Henri Mikael Pekonen
Language skills: Finnish, English

Profile

Aino-Kaisa Pekonen is Finland’s Minister of Social Affairs and Health. She has served as Member of Parliament since 2011, focusing in particular on questions regarding social and health policy. Pekonen is a trained Practical Nurse for Social and Health Care and she used to work as a housing counsellor and practical nurse before being elected as Member of Parliament. She has served as Vice-Chair of the Left Alliance and chaired the party’s Parliamentary Group. Pekonen has also been active in many civil society tasks, for example as Chair of the Board of the HIV Foundation.