Born on 8 October 58 in Brussels; married, seven children
since November 2009
Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs
2005 - 2009
Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth
Since 2005
Chairwoman of the Family Affairs Committee "Eltern, Kind, Beruf" (Parents, Children, Work) of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU)
Since 2004
Member of the Presidium of the CDU
2003 - 2005
Minister for Social Affairs, Women, Family Affairs and Health of Lower Saxony
2003 - 2005
Member of the CDU in the State Assembly of Lower Saxony
2001 - 2004
Local political mandates in the region of Hanover
2001
Master's Degree in Public Health
1999
Member of the Working Group of Doctors (Arbeitskreis Ärzte) of CDU Lower Saxony
1998 - 2002
Member of academic staff in the Department of Epidemiology, Social Medicine and Health System Research (MHH)
1992 - 1996
Lived in Stanford, California/USA
1991
Conferred a doctorate
Since 1990
Member of the CDU
1988 - 1992
Assitant Doctor, MHH Women's Clinic
1980 - 1987
Studied Medicine at Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (MHH - Medical School of Hanover)
1978
London School of Economics
1977 - 1980
Studied Economics in Göttingen, Münster
1971 - 1976
Abitur (German equivalent to A-Levels) at Mathematisch-naturwissenschaftliches Gymnasium (grammar school specialising in maths and science), Lehrte
