Gladys Berejiklian

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Gladys Berejiklianis an Australian politician of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. She has been the State Member for the Willougby since 2003 and holds the position of Shadow Minister for Mental Health, Shadow Minister for Community Services, Shadow Minister for Youth Affairs and Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader on Citizenship.

[edit] Career

Gladys Berejiklian is the first Armenian descendant to be elected to the New South Wales Parliament. She was born and raised in Sydney after her parents immigrated to Sydney, Australia in 1960.

Gladys is part of a large family. She has 2 parents and 2 sisters, with a large extended family of 2 God Children.

She attended local schools in Ryde and Willoughby, where she even attended Saturday School at Willougby Primary School to learn the Armenian language. She has mostly been active in community organizations in Willoughby and Chatswood.

Gladys has a Bachelor of Arts (1992), a Graduate Diploma in International Studies (1996) from Sydney University and Master of Commerce from the University of New South Wales (2001).

She served a term on the Armenian National Committee of Australia. In 2000, she visited the USA as a delegate from the Australian Political Exchange Council.

Gladys joined the Liberal Party in 1993 and was President of the New South Wales Young Liberal Party in 1996. This was a most notable victory as there have only been four female Young Liberal Presidents in the party's history.

She also served as a Delegate to State Council (1996-2003), Urban Representative of the NSW Liberal Party State Executive (1997-2003), Campaign Director for State seat of Willougby (1999) and Chair of Convention Committee (2002).

Gladys has worked for Hon Peter Collins QC and Senator the Hon Helen Coonan, as well as a Manager of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.