Leena Pasanen (born 1965) has studied Finnish language and literature at Oulu University. She started her career as a journalist 1988 at the Finnish News Agency, first as a reporter and later on as a political commentator in the Parliament house.

In 1993 she joined YLE, Finnish Broadcasting Company, where she worked as a reporter, political commentator, subeditor and tv-presentator for the current affairs magazine programme on YLE TV1. After that she was the head of documentaries for YLE TV1 years 1999-2000.

When YLE launched new digital channels, she was chosen as Head of Programmes responsible for cultural, factual and fiction programmes in YLE Teema, a channel focused on culture, science and education. Since 2004 she was also the deputy director of the channel.

In November 2005 she started her work as the director of EDN, European Documentary Network.
She's been a regular expert, tutor and lecturer for several training programmes, for example EDN, Discovery Campus, EURODOC and Television Business School. She's an EURODOC graduate year 1999.