Dr Markku Tervahauta is a Doctor of Medical Science, specialized in Public Health. He has a doctoral degree (PhD) in epidemiology from the University of Eastern Finland (the former University of Kuopio).
Director General Tervahauta has been working 15 years in clinical doctoral positions including in the occupational health care and about 25 years in leadership positions in municipal and national public health organizations.
Tervahauta has served as Director General of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare THL since January 2019.  Before that, he served as Director General of the Department for Well-being and Services at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health in the 2018. Before that, he worked at the local government level as Director of Health and Social Services, first in the City of Lahti since 2009 and then in the City of Kuopio since 2010. He worked as municipal manager of the Municipality of Leppävirta from 2005 to 2009.
Director General Markku Tervahauta is Executive Board member of The International Association of National Public Health Institutes (IANPHI).  He is vice chairman of the Board of Directors of the Alko Inc., the Government owned limited company. Director General Markku Tervahauta is also chairman of the National Nutrition Council.  He is member of the Kela’s Advisory Board, member of The Advisory Board for Public Health and member of the Delegation of the Diakonissalaitos, Deaconess Foundation.