Asta Pakarklytė is a musicologist, cultural manager and administrator. She was appointed Chair of the Lithuanian Council for Culture in 2021. Before joining the council, Pakarkytė was Director of the Music Information Centre Lithuania for seven years, working at both national and international levels.

She was trained as a pianist at the Vilnius Conservatory and graduated as a Master of Music from the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre in 2009. From 2009 to 2014, with some breaks, she studied for a Doctorate in Philosophy at the Lithuanian Cultural Research Institute (unfinished).

Pakarklytė started her career as a freelance music critic and journalist in 2003. She has published more than 300 various texts on music in Lithuanian niche and mass media. Pakarklytė worked as a co-host of the radio show on music at the Lithuanian National Radio (2006–2007). She further was a music editor for the Public Relations Department of the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society (2007–2010) and the Lithuanian culture magazine Kultūros Barai (Domains of Culture, 2009–2010).