Born in 1956 in Trier, Germany. She graduated in Law, second state exam. She was an Adviser in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Transportation of Rhineland-Palatinate from 1983-1988 and a legal adviser in the State Chancellery of Rhineland-Palatinate from 1988-1991. From 1991-1993, she was an academic assistant of the CDU State parliamentary group. She was Head of the Human Resources and Legal Departments at the Investment and Development Bank of Rhineland-Palatinate (ISB) GmbH from 1993-1996. She was Lord Mayor of Bingen am Rhein from 1996-2012. She has been Vice-Chairwoman of the CDU Rhineland-Palatinate since 1991 and Chairwoman of the CDU Women's Union Rhineland-Palatinate since 2002. She is also a Co-opted Member of the CDU state Executive Board. MEP since 2012.