Karen Ellemann - resume

Nordiska ministerrådets generalsekreterare Karen Ellemann.

Karen Ellemann

Photographer
Mathilde Schmidt / Norden.org
Karen Ellemann took up the role of Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers on 1 January 2023. She was most recently a member of the Danish parliament for the Venstre party.
Personal information

Karen Ellemann Kloch, born 26 August 1969 in Charlottenlund, daughter of the late minister for foreign affairs Uffe Ellemann-Jensen and secretary Hanne Ellemann-Jensen. 

Married to Kresten Kloch. Mother to two children, born in 1998 and 1999.

Parliamentary career
  • Chair of the Danish parliament’s cross-political network for sexual and reproductive health and rights, 2020 to 2022.
  • Member of the presidium of the Danish parliament, 13 August 2019 to 1 November 2022.
  • Vice-chair of the Committee for the Rules of Procedure, 2019 to 2022.
  • Rapporteur for development, 2019 to 2022.
  • Chair of the Venstre party’s parliamentary group, 2018 to 2019.
  • Minister for Fisheries and Equal Opportunities and Minister for Nordic Co-operation, 7 August 2017 to 2 May 2018.
  • Minister for Equal Opportunities and Minister for Nordic Co-operation, 28 November 2016 to 7 August 2017.
  • Minister for Social and Interior Affairs, 28 June 2015 to 28 November 2016.
  • Rapporteur for social affairs, 2014 to 2015.
  • Rapporteur for primary school education and youth education, 2011 to 2014.
  • Member of the Children and Education Committee, the Social Affairs Committee, the Equal Opportunities Committee, the Committee for Immigration and Integration Policy and the Nordic Council, 2011 to 2015.
  • Minister for the Environment and Minister for Nordic Co-operation, 23 February 2010 to 3 October 2011.
  • Ministry of the Interior and Social Affairs, 7 April 2009 to 23 February 2010.
  • Rapporteur for family policy and immigrants and integration, 2007 to 2009.
  • Member of the Social Affairs Committee, the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Committee for Immigration and Integration Policy, 2007 to 2009.
Education
  • Trained teacher, N. Zahle’s Seminarium, 2002 to 2004.
  • Student, Holte Gymnasium, 1986 to 1989.
Employment
  • Teacher, Rungsted Skole, 2003 to 2007.
  • Freelance journalist, 1999 to 2002.
  • General manager, Dagmar Theatre, 1996 to 1999.
  • Head of administration, Brinkmann Kommunikation, 1995 to 1996.
  • General manager, Scandinavian Models, 1993 to 1995.
  • Consultant, The Voice, 1990 to 1993.
Positions of trust
  • Member of the board of Fonden for Socialt Ansvar (including Natteravnene) from 2019.
  • Chair of the representative board of Care Denmark from 2018.
  • Member of the board of the Danish Liberal Democracy Programme (DLDP) from 2018.
  • Member of the Girl Talk Advisory Board from 2018.
  • Former chair of the self-governing institution Elleslettegård.
  • Former chair of the Norden Association.
  • Former member of the board of Fonden Frie Børnehaver.
  • Former member of the board of Foreningen Østifterne.