Ulla Pedersen Tørnæs, born 4 September 1962 in Esbjerg, daughter of fishing-vessel master and former Minister Laurits Tørnæs and director Katty Tørnæs.
Member period 
• Member of Parliament for the Liberal Party in Greater South Jutland constituency from 13 November 2007 to 30 June 2014.
• Member of Parliament for the Liberal Party in Ribe County constituency from 21 September 1994 to 13 November 2007.
• Candidate for the Liberal Party in City of Esbjerg nomination district from 2007 to 2012.
• Candidate for the Liberal Party in Esbjerg nomination district from 1994 to 2006.
Parliamentary career
• Minister for Development Cooperation from 28 November 2016.
• Minister for Higher Education and Science from 29 February 2016 to 28 November 2016.
• Minister for Development Cooperation from 18 February 2005 to 23 February 2010. 
• Minister for Education from 27 November 2001 to 18 February 2005.
• Political spokeswoman 1998-2001.
• Member of the management committee of the parliamentary group of the Liberal Party 1994-2001.
• Member of the European Parliament for the Liberal Party 1 July 2014 – 29 February 2016.
Education and jobs
• Enrolled in law school, University of Copenhagen, 1991.
• BA in English and French Copenhagen Business School, from 1985 to 1988.
• University-level studies, Chambéry University, France, from 1984 to 1985.
• Exam.art (French), Odense University, from 1982 to 1984.
• Sojourn, Chambéry Upper Secondary School, France, from 1981 to 1982.
• Matriculated in modern languages, Esbjerg State Upper Secondary School, 1981.
• Employed at the secretariat of the parliamentary group of the Liberal Party, from 1986 to 1994.
Affiliations 
National chairwoman of Liberal Students of Denmark 1988-1990. Member of the management committee and executive committee of the Liberal Party in Greater Eastern Copenhagen constituency 1988-1991. Vice-president of the International Federation of Liberal and Radical Youth 1989-1993. Member of the central board of the Liberal Party 1998-2010, and again from 2014. Member of the management committee of 'Plan Danmark' 2010-2013. Member of the management committee of the Danish Liberal Democracy Programme (DLDP) 2010-2016.