Heikkilä has also worked as a journalist for The Economist, writing for the Europe, finance and international sections. She later on held the post of assistant news editor. She has also worked as a broadcast journalist and news anchor at Yle.

She was also an associate editor at Ylioppilaslehti and a journalist at Helsingin Sanomat.

Heikkilä holds a bachelor’s degree in communication and media studies from the University of Helsinki.