Degree in Educational Sciences at Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster
- 1972-1977 Graduated with the academic title Dipl.-Pädagogin
Professional career
- 1977 – 1980 Head of the Educational Division at Ev. Bildungswerk
- 1980 – 1986 Unit manager Volkshochschule (community college)
- 1986 – 1990 Equal opportunities officer for the city of Bochum
- 1990 – 2007 Member of Parliament in the Federal State North Rhine-Westphalia
- 1991 – 1998 Leader of the SPD parliamentary group in NRW
- 1998 – 2002 Minister for Women, Youth, Family, Health Affairs
- 2002 – 2005 Minister for Health, Social, Women, and Family Affairs
- 2005 – 2006 Deputy leader of the SPD parliamentary group in NRW
- 2007 – 2010 Deputy Chairwoman at BARMER
- 2010 – 2011 Chairwoman at BARMER GEK
- 2011 – 2019 Chief Executive of the German Association of Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (vfa)
Political career
- 1982 – 1988 Deputy Chairwoman for the SPD MK branch
- 1986 – 1990 Member of the SPD National Party Council
- 1989 – 1999 Member of the SPD Branch Managing Board Bochum branch
- 1990 – 1998 Chairwoman at the SPD party for the district Bochum-Mitte
- 2001 – 201 1Member of the SPD executive board
- 2001 – 2007 Deputy leader NRW-SPD
- 2005 – 2007 President of the SPD executive board
Since 2008 Member of the Ruhr-Universität Bochum University Council