Our team | Protect Children
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Nina Vaaranen-Valkonen

Nina Vaaranen-Valkonen is a Co-Founder and Executive Director of Protect Children. She also works as Senior Specialist and Psychotherapist and has 20 years of professional experience protecting children from sexual violence.

Executive Director, Senior Specialist, Psychotherapist

Anna Ovaska

Anna Ovaska is the Deputy Director of Protect Children. She also acts as Legal Specialist with her expertise in international criminal law and child rights.

Deputy Director, Legal Specialist

Tegan Insoll

Tegan Insoll is the Head of Research at Protect Children. Tegan leads Protect Children's research team, coordinates the ReDirection project, and conducts innovative research on online sexual violence against children.

Head of Research

Katariina Leivo

Katariina Leivo works as a senior specialist at Protect Children. She has significant international experience in early childhood development and the importance of attachment relationship in a child's development. 

Senior Specialist

Valeriia Soloveva

Valeriia Soloveva is a Specialist at Protect Children. She is conducting offender-focused research, analysing data gathered directly from child sexual abuse material users in the dark web.

Specialist

Eva Díaz Bethencourt is a Specialist at Protect Children. She worked as a Lawyer in Spain for a few years and then completed a Master’s Degree Programme in International Law and Human Rights at ÅAU. Eva is passionate and strongly committed to the defence of human rights, child protection and gender equality.

Specialist

Marianne Mäenpää, Psy.M, is a consultative specialist in forensic psychology at Protect Children. She has specific expertise in the field of forensic psychology, particularly in the investigation of crimes against children and child abuse topics in general.

Forensic Psychologist, Psychologist

Noora Kuisma

Noora Kuisma works as a financial consultant at Protect Children. Noora is an economist and has a master's degree in data analytics from Aalto University. Noora is responsible for the organization's financial management and reporting.

Financial Consultant

Matilda Sandvik

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Currently on leave

Our team

Protect Children is a non-governmental Helsinki-based organisation working internationally with a dedicated team advocating for the right of the child to be free from sexual violence.

Our small, dedicated team has deep speciality in a broad range of subjects. Meet our team and find contact information below.

Executive Director, Senior Specialist, Psychotherapist

Nina Vaaranen-Valkonen is a Co-Founder and Executive Director of Protect Children. She also works as Senior Specialist and Psychotherapist and has 20 years of professional experience protecting children from sexual violence.

Deputy Director, Legal Specialist

Anna Ovaska is the Deputy Director of Protect Children. She also acts as Legal Specialist with her expertise in international criminal law and child rights.

Senior Specialist

Katariina Leivo works as a senior specialist at Protect Children. She has significant international experience in early childhood development and the importance of attachment relationship in a child's development. 

Head of Research

Tegan Insoll is the Head of Research at Protect Children. Tegan leads Protect Children's research team, coordinates the ReDirection project, and conducts innovative research on online sexual violence against children.

Specialist

Valeriia Soloveva is a Specialist at Protect Children. She is conducting offender-focused research, analysing data gathered directly from child sexual abuse material users in the dark web.

Specialist

Eva Díaz Bethencourt is a Specialist at Protect Children. She worked as a Lawyer in Spain for a few years and then completed a Master’s Degree Programme in International Law and Human Rights at ÅAU. Eva is passionate and strongly committed to the defence of human rights, child protection and gender equality.

Forensic Psychologist, Psychologist

Marianne Mäenpää, Psy.M, is a consultative specialist in forensic psychology at Protect Children. She has specific expertise in the field of forensic psychology, particularly in the investigation of crimes against children and child abuse topics in general.

Finance Consultant

Noora Kuisma works as a financial consultant at Protect Children. Noora is an economist and has a master's degree in data analytics from Aalto University. Noora is responsible for the organization's financial management and reporting.

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