Our team

Editorial team

Maria Aguar Pla
María, proudly representing the Mediterranean spirit from Valencia, Spain, is an early childhood and primary school teacher with a specialization in teaching English. Her passion for education started young—she used to line up her dolls and teddies, assign them homework, and even provide feedback! Over the years, she’s worked with children of various ages and has developed a strong interest in policymaking and creating educational opportunities for those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

María loves traveling and making spontaneous, funny plans with friends. Karaoke has become a surprising new favourite since arriving in Finland, alongside exploring the stunning Finnish nature and admiring its breathtaking sunsets. If you hear someone being a little too loud, it’s probably María—she’s working on it, though. Feel free to reach out to her at any time! —she’s always up for a good conversation and new adventures!

Chairperson

Editorial team

Anna Brander
Right! Here: Meet Anna Brander, a 25-year-old Finn who hails from Pori, the charming city known for... well, Anna hasn’t figured that out yet either, but at least it’s where she learned to appreciate the quiet moments of life. After spending five years in the bustling metropolis of Helsinki, she’s become an expert in balancing the tranquility of Finnish nature with the urban rush.

A graduate of the University of Helsinki, Anna studied Special Education with a side of psychology. Her professional life is just as intriguing as her studies. Lately, she’s been diving into educational research, tackling the tricky topics of school engagement, absenteeism (her favorite topics at the moment) and even the world of math problem-solving.

When it comes to hobbies, Anna is all about balance. She enjoys training, long walks in the nature as well as baking for others, and swimming (preferably in ice-cold water followed by a sauna session, because that's what Finnish winters are all about!). If you’re ever in need of relaxation advice, Anna will recommend some “pötköttely” (the fine art of lying in bed and doing absolutely nothing) – it’s her specialty.

While Anna is often calm and quiet, around her closest ones she’s known to let loose and get a little crazy every now and then. But the one thing that’s guaranteed to bring a smile to her face? A dog. Those who know her well know that Anna can’t pass one without declaring “ihana koira” or “söpö koira,” because apparently, every dog is a cute dog in Anna’s eyes.

Vice

Chairperson

Editorial team

Lucía Liting Jorge Gómez
Lucía Liting is a 22-year-old girl from Madrid, Spain. She studied Psychology at the University Complutense of Madrid. She has been a volleyball coach for 2 years for adolescents in the team where she started training when she was a child, introducing adolescents to the sport while teaching them the values of respect, teamwork, commitment, resilience, and decision-making. Moreover, she has been a volunteer at the Church of the School, where she studied. Volunteering with adolescents in a community setting, such as a youth center, provides a unique opportunity to positively influence the adolescent's development by helping them navigate challenges like academics, relationships, and self-esteem and offering a space where they feel heard, valued, and respected.

Lucía's favorite thing in the world is spending time with the people she loves, her family and friends. She also loves to travel and practice sports or do exercise. She is a very active person and enjoys new experiences.

A fun fact about her? She hasn't yet tried a meal or dish that she doesn't like. She literally likes to eat a lot of different types of food. Also, the thing she loves about Finland is that education is free for people from the EU and Finland has a lot of student discounts. She also enjoys the calm and peaceful environment compared to other countries and the great nature spaces there are around Helsinki.

Secretary

Editorial team

Lucía de Gregorio Gimeno
Lucía is an early childhood education teacher who, not too long ago, realized she had no idea what she was doing with her life. So, naturally, she packed her bags and moved to Helsinki—a bold move fueled by the hope of finding answers and maybe not freezing to death. Spoiler: she's still working on both.

Passionate about innovation, policymaking, and equity, Lucía is on a mission to figure out how to make the world a little better, even if it means navigating life in a city where beer costs €8 and daylight feels like a myth. Despite the weather and wallet challenges, she’s fully committed to enjoying life—whether that’s cozy nights in, cheap food days, or heading out to explore new places.

Laughing and joking are her favorite pastimes, but don’t let her lightheartedness fool you—she’s always up for a deep conversation about life, society, or why Finnish people are so good at queuing. Adjusting to Helsinki’s chill vibe has been a journey, but she’s embracing it with curiosity, good humor, and maybe an extra sweater or two.

Feel free to reach out to her if you need anything—or just want to hang out and chat!

Events

Manager

Editorial team

Ariadna Garcia i Pelegrin
Ariadna is from Catalonia, in the northeast of Spain, and studied Educational Sciences at her hometown university in Girona. She has spent seven years as a sports coach, introducing children to athletics and football while teaching them the values of teamwork, resilience, and dedication. Alongside coaching, she has helped children from different backgrounds with their after-school homework and has participated in volunteering programs that promote inclusion in her local community.

Ariadna loves to travel, especially when it involves watching live sports events or exploring the history of new places. While she’s an active and sporty person, she also enjoys quiet evenings at home, watching movies with a bowl of popcorn in hand.

A fun fact about her? She’s a bit clumsy (one of her New Year’s resolutions is to avoid injuries!) and loves trying out desserts whenever she visits new places.
What does she love about Finland? She appreciates the cold weather, which feels refreshing, and finds it incredibly relaxing to watch the snow falling outside.

Events

Manager

Editorial team

Christina Schweickert
Chrissi, the lively and slightly chaotic student advocate of OSA, traded Germany for Helsinki to pursue her master’s degree. With a background in special needs education and second language learning, she is passionate about making education more equal. Recently, she has developed a strong interest in educational policy and how it can create better opportunities for all students.

When she’s not in Helsinki, you’ll likely find Chrissi living out of a backpack, determined to travel as much as possible while spending all her money on the cheapest accommodation she can find. An avid skier and snowboarder, she’s still mourning Finland’s lack of real mountains—but she’s making up for it by embracing Finnish traditions like sauna sessions and enjoying student-friendly meals at Unicafe. She’s also a regular at karaoke nights and loves dancing at the Latin party in Teurastamo.

If you hear someone talking a little too loudly, moving in ten directions at once, or hyping up a spontaneous plan, it’s probably Chrissi—don’t hesitate to say hi! She’s always up for a chat, a new experience, or a night out

Student Advocate

Editorial team

Malena Laguna
Malena is a vibrant student in the Changing Education Master’s Program at the University of Helsinki, where she wears many hats. As the treasurer of OSA and a student representative, she’s deeply involved in student life. You might also catch her singing in the international choir or discussing her latest literary finds in OSA’s Book Club. Basically, if there’s an event or a plan, Malena is likely at the center of it!

Originally from Argentina, Malena’s educational journey has taken her across Europe. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Frankfurt, Germany, spent a semester in Lisbon, and even volunteered in Estonia. While she’s loved the nomadic life, she’s thinking it might soon be time to settle down.

In Helsinki, you’ll often find her hanging out at Think Corner, grabbing lunch at Sodexo (when the schedule permits), or unwinding in Minerva. When it’s time to recharge, she retreats to her cozy spot in Kalasatama, a place she proudly calls the best part of the city. And if there’s food involved? Count her in—Malena is always up for plans, especially those that bring her closer to her beloved CE cohort.

Treasurer

Editorial team

Ruby Kuo
Ruby, comes from Taiwan, a subtropical island where the sun feels a bit too intense to enjoy. But guess what? Moving to Finland has turned her into a fan of winter sports, snowy vibes, and, yes, saunas. She’s even into sunbathing on Finnish beaches surrounded by forests. Who knew avoiding sunlight back home would lead to soaking it up here?

Ruby’s background is in early childhood education and English language learning, and she’s eager to learn and apply knowledge from these areas. She’s here to explore, learn, and have fun. She loves traveling, thrift shopping (probably a bit too much), and café hopping—and you’ll often catch her intensely checking the Unicafe menu to choose the best option. She’s always up for trying something new!

She’s all about recording life—whether it’s journaling, snapping photos, or editing video clips. She’s super excited to be the editor for capturing the unforgettable moments of CE 2025!

Editor-in-Chief