Ms Krista Taipale has been working 20 years in various expert and excecutive positions relating to European affairs in Brussels. Her fields of expertise are EU´s regional and urban policies, innovation ecosystems, EU´s innovation and research policy, European networks and EU-funding. Ms Krista Taipale is currently working as a director responsible for international affairs and Häme Goes Global-project at the Regional council of Häme. Previously she has worked as a Director of international and EU-affairs at Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council, Director of Helsinki EU Office in Brussels and Head of Turku-Southwest Finland European office. She has also worked at the Innovation Center of Helsinki University of Technology (currently Aalto University).