Biography
Prior to entering politics,Karagianis was an entrepreneur who opened her own retail fashion store,and operated a wholesale venture and an import/export business. [3] She was also a co-founder of the Sunshine Folkfest in Powell River,British Columbia.
She was elected as a municipal councillor in Esquimalt in 1996,and was re-elected in 1999 and 2002. [3] During her time on council,she helped launch the Capital Regional District's Arts Committee,serving as chair until 2005. [3] She also served three years with the provincial government as assistant to three NDP cabinet ministers beginning in 1998 –first in the Social Services ministry and then in Transportation and Highways. [3]
With the incumbent NDP Esquimalt-Metchosin MLA Moe Sihota declining to run again in the 2001 provincial election, [4] Karagianis was named as the party's candidate in the riding,but lost to Liberal candidate Arnie Hamilton. [5] After the election loss,she ran a consulting company from 2001 to 2005,working with non-profit organizations and First Nations to create seniors housing in BC. [6]
She contested the constituency of Esquimalt-Metchosin again in the 2005 election,this time garnering almost 50 percent of votes cast and 2,895 more votes than the next closest candidate to be elected the riding's MLA. [7] In the 38th Parliament,she served as the official opposition critic for Small Business and Revenue,Children and Family Development,and Transportation in NDP leader Carole James' shadow cabinet. [3] [6]
She was re-elected in 2009 to the new constituency of Esquimalt-Royal Roads, [5] and was again appointed as the critic for Children and Family Development. [8] She was elected as Official Opposition Caucus Whip in January 2011, [9] and served in that position until her retirement. She also replaced Gary Coons as critic for BC Ferries and Coastal Communities in February 2013. [10]
Following her re-election in 2013, [5] she served as critic for shipbuilding,women's issues,and child care and early learning in the 40th Parliament. [11] She endorsed John Horgan in the 2014 NDP leadership election, [12] and was named critic for women,seniors,and early childhood development after Horgan's acclamation as NDP leader. [13]
She announced in August 2016 that she would not run again in the next provincial election. [1] After finishing her final term as MLA in 2017,she was appointed Chair of the Board of Directors of the Knowledge Network in July 2018, [14] and retired from that role in 2022. [15]
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