Caren Jane Rangi ONZM (born ~1967)[1] is a Cook Islands accountant, former public servant, and company director. She is the first Pacific woman to serve as chair of the Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/ba/Caren_Rangi_2018.jpg/220px-Caren_Rangi_2018.jpg)
Of Manihiki and Rarotongan descent, Rangi was born in Christchurch, New Zealand.[1] She grew up in Napier suburb of Tamatea, and was educated at Tamatea School, Tamatea Intermediate, and Tamatea High School.[2] She studied for a Bachelor of Business Studies at Massey University before working for the Office of the Controller and Auditor-General.[3] In 2008 she became a consultant,[4] and subsequently worked in a range of governance roles.[1]
Rangi has served on the boards of Te Papa, NZ On Air, and Radio New Zealand.[5] In 2015 she was appointed as a director of the Cook Islands Investment Corporation.[6] From 2015 to 2017 she was National President of PACIFICA, the Pacific women's council.[4] In April 2021 she was appointed as chair the board of the Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa.[5][3] She is also currently the Chair of not for profit organisation Pacific Homecare,[7] and was recently appointed to the Hawke's Bay Regional Recovery Agency and the Hawke's Bay Regional Economic Development Agency.
In 2022, Rangi officially opened Bergman Gallery in Auckland, New Zealand, the sister gallery of the original gallery in Rarotonga, Cook Islands.[8] There was also a delegation from the Cook Islands attended the official opening with the Minister of Cultural Development, George Maggie Angene, Cultural Development Secretary, Anthony Turua and Cook Islands Consular Officer, Keu Mataroa.[9]
Honours
editIn the 2018 Queen's Birthday Honours, Rangi was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the Pacific community and governance.[4]
References
edit- ^ a b c Dale Husband (14 July 2019). "Caren Rangi: Leading and dancing". E-Tangata. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
- ^ "Just a 'local girl from Napier' - Caren Rangi ONZM". New Zealand Herald. 3 June 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
- ^ a b Bess Manson (5 June 2021). "Caren Rangi, chair of the Arts Council Toi Aotearoa, feels weight of expectation from arts community". Stuff. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
- ^ a b c "Queen's Birthday honours list 2018". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 4 June 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
- ^ a b "Caren Rangi the first Pacific Chair of the Arts Council". RNZ. 18 April 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
- ^ Newport, Christina Ann (2017). "Polynesia in Review: Cook Islands". The Contemporary Pacific. 29 (1): 128. doi:10.1353/cp.2017.0008. S2CID 258101345. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
- ^ "Pacific Homecare". Retrieved 11 May 2023.
- ^ "Gallery director cautious as global market 'fairly immune so far' . . ". Cook Islands News. 2023-02-22. Retrieved 2023-12-13.
- ^ Vano, Kendall (2022-07-13). "Bergman Gallery Exhibition: Te Atuitanga - Between our Cloak of Stars". TP+. Retrieved 2023-12-13.