Erna Scholtes has 30 years experience in public sector, 25 years as a consultant. She works on assignments for government, regulatory agencies, municipalities and NGO’s. Themes: governance, policy advise, evaluation studies, communication.

Her PhD on transparency (2012) is based on interpretative content analysis of over 5,000 documents in parliamentary debate in the Netherlands. Research questions were: What meanings are given to transparency in administrative sciences? In what way was the concept of transparency used in political and administrative discourse in the Netherlands in the period between 19995 and 2010? What are the presuppositions on which the meanings in political and administrative discourse are based? How are these presuppositions met by actors in political and administrative discourse? How can the popularity of the concept be explained en understood?

The PhD got a lot of attention in the media and in scientific debate. Erna is often invited for lectures. She is member of the board of Technasium, a formula for better beta education, and of the board of trustees of Wellant, for education in agriculture. Erna is president of the jury that decides about the best book for management consultants each year.