Rachel Reese

Rachel Hadley Reese (born 1964/1965) is a New Zealand local-body politician. She is the mayor of Nelson, having been elected in October 2013. Her election made her Nelson's first female mayor.

Reese was born in Mosgiel and grew up in Dunedin. She attended St Hilda's Collegiate School, leaving at aged 16 to enter the University of Otago from where she graduated with a commerce degree at age 19. She has since worked in Mount Isa and Melbourne in Australia, as well as in Auckland. She moved to Nelson in about 1997, her family having connections in the area, with her parents owning property on Arapaoa Island in the Marlborough Sounds.

Reese was first elected to the Nelson City Council in 2007. She was again elected in 2010 when she became deputy mayor, losing the mayoral race to Aldo Miccio with 4722 votes to his 6077. In 2013 she was elected mayor, beating Miccio by 7477 votes to 6048 in a 48.74% voter turnout.

Reese shares her family life with English-born former cricketer, Richard Harden. They have three children between them.