Margaret Ritchie
Politician
In 2010, Ritchie became both a Member of Parliament (for the South Down constituency) and the Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party. Previously, she had served as Northern Ireland's Minister for Social Development.
After graduating from Queen's University, Belfast, she became an assistant to MP Eddie McGrady and was subsequently elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly.
In late 2010, she stirred controversy by publicly criticizing Ireland's Sinn Fein political party.
A native of Downpatrick, Northern Ireland, she was raised in the Roman Catholic faith.
In 2007, she succeeded Democratic Unionist Party politician Nigel Dodds as Minister for Social Development.