A diplomat and civil servant by occupation, Van Veldhoven studied
policy and
management in international organisations at the
University of Groningen. She worked at the
Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy and for the
European Union in Brussels. She was elected political talent of the year 2012/2013 by the Dutch national radio and television broadcaster,
Nederlandse Omroep Stichting (NOS). She was elected to the
House of Representatives from 17 June 2010 until her appointment as
State Secretary for
Infrastructure and Water Management. As a parliamentarian, she focused on matters of
climate,
energy,
natural environment,
agriculture,
fishery,
animal rights and
development aid. In 2019, she was appointed minister without portfolio at the
Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. She announced her departure from politics as of July 19, 2021, to assume the role of Vice President/Director at the
World Resources Institute Europe starting from September 1 of that year. ==Electoral history==