Born in 1974 in Almaty Region, Balayeva graduated from Abai Almaty State University as a teacher of Russian language and literature, and later earned a law degree from the Kazakh National Agrarian University.
Her public service career began in the late 1990s in the Almaty Regional Information Department. Over the years, she held key positions in internal policy departments in Almaty and Astana, including serving as Deputy Akim of Astana from 2010 to 2014.
Balayeva later worked within the Presidential Administration, overseeing internal policy and managing public appeals. In 2020, she was appointed Minister of Information and Social Development, a role she continued in after reappointment in 2021.
Since September 2023, she has led the Ministry of Culture and Information. Her new appointment elevates her to one of the senior positions in the Cabinet.
The government also confirmed that on 22 November 2025, a new vice minister of health was appointed.
