Kjersti Stenseng was appointed State Secretary for Minister of Culture Anniken Huitfeldt on 15 May 2012. Kjersti Stenseng has, in periods from 14 June 2011 until 15 May 2012, been acting State Secretary and political adviser in the Ministry of Culture. Stenseng has been manager of The Norwegian Festival of Literature, she was also acting State Secretary in the Ministry of Culture from 1 November until 31 December 2011.