BIOGRAPHY
Anne Lise Ryel was born in Tromsø, Norway, in 1958. She obtained a Law Degree at the University of Oslo in 1987. She worked as Junior Lawyer at Hjort DA from 1988 and then as Lawyer at a Hydro-power Grid Company, Statnett SF, from 1992 to 1994 until her appointment as the Norwegian Gender Equality Ombudsman. She served as State Secretary at the Ministry of Justice in the Stoltenberg First Government in 2001 and as Deputy Director General at the Norwegian Directorate of Health in 2002. Ms. Ryel has been Secretary General of the Norwegian Cancer Society since 2002.
MOTIVATION FOR JOINING THE UICC BOARD OF DIRECTORS
I have vast experience of Board Membership at various levels. Currently, I am Chairperson of the Executive Board of the Law Faculty at the University of Tromsø, Deputy Chair at the National Council for Tobacco Prevention, and Council Member at the National Council for Quality Improvement and Priority Setting in Healthcare. I am a Member of UICC’s Strategic Advisory Panel. I have served as Member of the Committee tasked with monitoring the UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women and has also occupied leadership positions in the Norwegian Labour Party. I am an important advocate for the cancer cause and for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases in Norway and globally. I am actively involved in the domains of cancer research and prevention, patient support, and health promotion. “International Cooperation” is a policy priority at the Norwegian Cancer Society under my leadership. In addition, I work for better living conditions for the poor and the vulnerable and am a tireless advocate for women’s and children’s rights. I have access to a broad network within the government, legal, academic, civil society and equal opportunity institutions in Norway and abroad. I have represented the Norwegian Cancer Society, UICC and Norway at many events. I have had the opportunity to contribute to numerous articles, speeches and media at national and international levels. I am a results-oriented person and I consider that my broad and rich background will be a valuable resource to UICC’s advocacy work.