She is the second current KFU employee to join the State Council of Tatarstan after Rector Ilshat Gafurov.

Dr. Minakova received her credentials from Speaker Farid Mukhametshin on January 19th. She got the mandate after the previous deputy in that position, Rafis Burganov, moved to become the Minister of Education and Science of Tatarstan.

During the handover, Mr. Mukhametshin commended the deputies for their hard work. He wished Yelena Minakova good work and success in her new role, as the parliamentarian press representatives said.

Dr. Minakova is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology; she holds a Candidate of Sciences (PhD) degree in geography. In 2006 – 2015, she served at the Civic Chamber in Tatarstan; since 2006, she has been a member of the Public Council of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Tatarstan.

Former Vice-Rector Andrey Artemyev, who stepped down in November 2017, is also a member of Tatarstan's parliament.