Margaret Kouvelis

Margaret Kouvelis MNZM
Kouvelis in 2019
5th Mayor of Manawatu District
In office 2012–2016
Preceded by	Ian McKelvie
Succeeded by	Helen Worboys
Personal details
Born	1949 (age 74–75) Nelson, New Zealand
Relatives	Mark Ranby (son)

Margaret Joy Kouvelis MNZM (born 1949) is a New Zealand local-body politician. She was the 5th Mayor of Manawatu, holding the position from 2012 to 2016.

Early life and family

Kouvelis was born in Nelson.^[1] She studied at the University of Auckland, and subsequently became a teacher in Queen's High School in Dunedin.^[1] After spending time in the United Kingdom, she was a teacher at Dunstan High School in Alexandra, and then at Freyberg High School in Palmerston North, before moving to Massey University's Centre for Educational Development.^[2] In 2002 she was appointed director of the New Zealand Teachers' Council, but resigned a year later.^[3] She subsequently became a consultant, edited a Presbyterian magazine, farmed olives, and ran a bookshop.^[1]

Kouvelis is the mother of former All Black Mark Ranby.^[1]

Political career

In 2010 Kouvelis was elected to the Manawatu District Council.^[4] In 2012 she won a by-election for Mayor following the resignation of Ian McKelvie, and was re-elected unopposed in 2013, but lost the mayoralty to Helen Worboys in 2016.^[5]

References

1. Jessica Sutton (14 March 2012). "New mayor offers district heart and soul". Stuff. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
2. "Teachers Council Appoints New Director". NZ Teachers Council. 11 June 2002. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
3. "Teachers body loses director". NZ Herald. 2 November 2003. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
4. Sam Kilmister (31 August 2016). "We've built platforms for going forward: Manawatu mayor Margaret Kouvelis". Stuff. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
5. Sam Kilmister (13 October 2016). "Kouvelis says she always had Manawatu's future in the mind". Stuff. Retrieved 14 October 2018.