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Marja van Bijsterveldt-Vliegenthart

State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science

Janneke Marlene (Marja) van Bijsterveldt-Vliegenthart was born in Rotterdam on 27 June 1961.

After training as a nurse, she worked in the health care sector from 1981 to 1990.

She was a member of Almere municipal council for the Christian Democratic Alliance (CDA) from 1990 to 1994, and was alderman responsible for social affairs, welfare and housing from 1990 to 1993. In 1993 she became the leader of the CDA in the municipal council. Ms Van Bijsterveldt-Vliegenthart was mayor of Schipluiden from 1994 to May 2002, and then chair of the CDA until 2007.

In her capacity as alderman and later mayor, Ms Van Bijsterveldt-Vliegenthart held many public positions. She has also been a member of the board of the Dutch Young Christian Democrats (CDJA), chair of the women's organisation of the CDA, member of the executive board of the Society for Nature and Environmental Education, member of the Financial Relations Council, chair of the Zonnebloem voluntary organisation for the disabled, and member of the board of the culture fund of the Municipal Building Fund.

On 22 February 2007 Ms Van Bijsterveldt-Vliegenthart was appointed State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science in the fourth Balkenende government.

22 February 2007