Madame Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica (Dr. sc. Admin) was born on 30 June 1978. After having obtained her first academic degree in social work, in 2004 she obtained her Master’s degree at the Faculty of Economics and Management of the University of Latvia, where in 2013 she also obtained Doctoral degree in Management science, subfield of public administration.
Madame Kalniņa-Lukaševica started her professional career in 1998 at the City Council of Jūrmala. Between 2003 and 2008 she worked for the Ministry of Regional Development and local government, first, as Deputy Director of Local Government Development and Reform Department and then as Deputy State Secretary. In 2008 Madame Kalniņa-Lukaševica was appointed to the Strategic Analysis Commission of the Chancery of the President of Latvia. In 2010, she became adviser on strategic planning and analysis to the President of the Republic of Latvia at the Chancery of the President of Latvia.
In 2011, Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica was elected to the Parliament (Saeima) of Latvia. During her mandate between 2011 and 2014 she was elected as Chairperson of the European Affairs Committee and as Chairperson of Reform Party parliamentary group, while at the same time serving also as a member of the Economic, Agricultural, Environmental and Regional Policy Committee.
In November 2014 Dr. Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica was appointed as State Minister for the European Affairs of Latvia.
Dr. Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica is also known for her civic activities and publications. Of the most recent civic activities, membership of the boards of such non-profit organizations as “European Movement–Latvia”, “Think-tank of Reforms” and “Caritas” (Latvia), as well as membership in a number of intergovernmental cooperation commissions should be mentioned.
Dr. Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica speaks Latvian, English and Russian languages.