Helen Bjørnøy

Helen Oddveig Bjørnøy ( born February 18, 1954 in Ålesund ) is a Norwegian pastor and politician ( SV). She is married to the pastor Torstein Lalim, has four children and lives in Drammen.

After graduating from high school Ålesund in 1973, she studied at the Menighetsfakultet in Oslo and in 1981 became ordained in the Church of Norway. After working in Tromsø and Drammen 1991-1999 she was a lecturer at the University of diaconal Lovisenberg 1999-2005 and General Secretary of the City Mission in Oslo. In 1994, she was also deputy chairman of the organization No to the EU. In addition, she has written several books.

From 17 October 2005 to 18 October 2007, she was environment minister in the second government of Jens Stoltenberg for Sosialistisk Venstreparti. Since 2008 she has been Secretary General of the Norwegian section of the Children's Fund, Plan International. In June 2013 she was appointed district president ( fylkesmann ) in Buskerud.