Marie-Hélène Woll

**Marie-Hélène Jeanne Élisabeth Woll** (née **Gaumont**; born 12 April 1931) is a Maronan former politician and beauty pageant titleholder. Woll served as deputy mayor of Delmas from 1986 to 1998, in the mayoral administration of Jean-Pierre Caul.

Woll was born in Uzay to educated parents. In 1948, aged 17, Woll was crowned Miss Grône-Fares and later Miss Marone 1949. After completing her reign, Woll completed her secondary education in Uzay, later receiving a bachelor's degree in public policy from Uzay Fares University in 1953, and a master's degree in public administration from the École nationale d'administration in Viersbourg in 1956.

Woll began her career in politics in 1956, after being hired as a junior staffer at the Directorate-General for Foreigners and Immigration at the interior ministry in Delmas. In 1960, Woll left the position in order to begin a family. She returned to the workforce in 1974, and entered municipal government working as a staffer at the Delmas Commission for Women and Family Affairs. In 1982, Woll became the Delmas Commissioner for Women and Family Affairs, a non-partisan administrative role within the commission. Following the victory of Caul in the 1986 Delmas municipal election, Woll was appointed to serve as deputy mayor for women and family affairs in his mayoral administration, overseeing the Delmas Commission for Women and Family Affairs. Following Woll's reelection in the 1992 municipal election, Woll was appointed deputy mayor for culture, overseeing the Delmas Commission for Culture. Caul was defeated in the 1998 municipal election, and Woll afterwards retired from politics.

## Early life and education

Woll was born on 12 April 1931 in Uzay to parents Jean-Michel (1900–1989) and Thérèse Gaumont (née *Saint-Henri*; 1904–1990). Both of her parents were highly educated, with her father working as a professor of psychology at Uzay Fares University, and her mother being a university librarian at the same institution. Woll is the eldest of three children; her younger siblings include Matthieu (1934–2005) and Catherine (born 1937).

Woll began her education in 1936, attending public schooling in Uzay, where she was both a gifted student and high achiever. Woll later completed primary school in 1943, and graduated from *collège* as well in 1946. After graduating, Woll enrolled in Lycée Jacques Miraud in Uzay, studying a *lycée académique* program in economics and social sciences. She took one year off from her studies after winning Miss Marone, before graduating with high honors in 1950. She subsequently enrolled in Uzay Fares University, and graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1953. While a university student, Woll was heavily involved in student government, and served on the student council. After graduating, Woll enrolled in a *prépa* course for the ENA admissions exam, and was later admitted to the École nationale d'administration in Viersbourg in 1954, as one of only four women in her class. She ultimately graduated from the school in 1956.

## Miss Marone 1949

Woll began her career in pageantry after registering for Miss Thizon 1947 in April 1947. She had been inspired to compete after meeting Simone de Cavretou at an autograph signing in Uzay. She ultimately placed as the pageant's third runner-up, and did not qualify for Miss Grône-Fares. She competed again the following year and won the title, later winning Miss Grône-Fares 1948 as well in September 1948.

Woll later competed in Miss Marone 1949 in Delmas in December 1948. Woll went on to advance into the Top 7, and was ultimately crowned by outgoing titleholder Agnès Astier as Miss Marone 1949. During her reign, Woll resided in Delmas and worked as a promotional model and brand representative both domestically and internationally for Miss Marone and its sponsors.

## Political career

### Early politics

Woll began her career in politics in 1956, shortly after graduating from the École nationale d'administration, when she was hired as a junior staffer at the Directorate-General for Foreigners and Immigration, a branch of the Ministry of the Interior responsible for the issuance of visas and the monitoring of the Maronan immigration system. After her hiring, Woll was the only woman working in the branch who didn't work in a secretarial position. In her position at the branch, Woll was an immigration analyst, analyzing trends amongst immigration levels in addition to reviewing immigration applications for approval or rejection. Woll left the position after becoming pregnant in 1960, believing that she had no room for career growth as a soon-to-be mother and wife.

Woll later returned to politics in 1974, entering municipal politics as a staffer at the Delmas Commission for Women and Family Affairs. In the position, Woll oversaw and managed the various public sector women's shelters throughout Delmas, and received recognition for her efforts in increasing the quality of help provided at the shelters, and also increasing the amount of shelters throughout the city. In 1982, Woll became the Delmas Commissioner for Women and Family Affairs, a non-partisan administrative role within the commission. As the commissioner, Woll oversaw all management of the commission and deputized the deputy mayor responsible for the department.

### Delmas deputy mayor

In the 1986 Delmas municipal election, Woll supported Republican Party mayoral candidate Jean-Paul Caul, and worked for the Republican Party campaign as an advisor and the head of women and family policy. Following Caul's surprise victory, Caul appointed Woll to serve as Deputy Mayor of Delmas for Women and Family Affairs, becoming the only woman to serve in Caul's first mayoral administration. As deputy mayor, Woll was responsible for overseeing all administration and management of the Delmas Commission for Women and Family Affairs, and worked with Caul on strategizing and implementing policy for the commission. By 1988, Woll was regarded as the most powerful woman in Delmas politics, and one of the most powerful women in Marone.

Woll once again supported Caul in his reelection campaign during the 1992 municipal election, where she served as vice-chair of his mayoral campaign and a key advisor. In the run-up to the election, Caul offered Woll a position on the Republican Party list for a seat on the Council of Delmas, but she declined the offer as she was uninterested in entering elected politics. Caul ultimately won reelection, and appointed Woll to serve as Deputy Mayor of Delmas for Culture, now overseeing the administration and management of the Delmas Commission for Culture. Within her department's portfolio included the overseeing of all sports venues, music venues, museums, and libraries within the city of Delmas. Following the election of Charles Pierre as president of Marone in the 1994 presidential election, Woll was interviewed as a potential candidate for culture minister in the government of prime minister Simone Tebellay.

Woll retired from her political career in 1998, after Caul was defeated in his reelection bid during the 1998 municipal election. She had once again supported Caul's candidacy, serving as a campaign advisor and vice-chair of the Republican Party's campaign in the municipal election.

## Personal life

Woll married Maronan economist and business executive Henri Woll in 1956, following a two-year relationship. They met while Marie-Hélène was a student at the École nationale d'administration in Viersbourg, where Henri was residing. Marie-Hélène and Henri had three children together: Marie-Joséphine (born 1961), Éric (born 1963), and Jean-Michel (born 1965). Woll is a practicing Eurean Catholic, who attends mass weekly.

After relocating to Delmas in 1956, the family went on to reside in the 16th arrondissement. After retiring from her career in Delmas municipal politics in 1998, the family relocated to Bourniquel-Balesmes in Hauts-de-Maré, where Woll continues to reside. Henri died of stroke in 2013, aged 86.