Social media seem to play a major role in pageantry nowadays. Do you think this is advantageous to you? Why or why not?
I personally don't assess anyone's worth, or worthiness of the crown, by how many followers they've garnered or the amount of likes that they receive. But, of course, I'm also a marketing professional and I understand the importance of being a queen who actively uses social media. Ultimately, yes it's advantageous that I use social media, but I don't necessarily think it will play a role in the final outcome at Mrs. America.
Did you face any moment of disappointment with yourself during the pageant journey, and how did you overcome it?
No, quite the opposite, actually. Before I began this journey, I knew that I would stepping outside of my comfort zone, so every new challenge that I encountered, I allowed myself room for growth.
I knew that I wasn't going to be perfect and I knew that I would make mistakes at times, but I embraced all of it — at the end of the day, it was all a part of the learning process.
We’ve all seen the stereotypical portrayals of pageant contestants, a la Miss Congeniality, spreading peace, love and beauty throughout the world. How do you think you'll make a difference ?
That's a great movie, my friends joked that my path to the crown was almost as humorous as Sandra Bullock's character at times! I'm not worried about being a stereotypical pageant contestant, because I'm already fairly far from the norm. I will continue to make a difference by promoting my platform, Homes for Our Troops, volunteering at the various veteran organizations that I work with, and continuing to bring awareness to the causes that I'm passionate about — except now I have a crown on my head!
What would you advise any young girl out there who has a dream of being a queen one day?
In my opinion, pageantry isn't just about looks, talents and personal accomplishments... it's about service. You can't be a queen without the people you serve. My advise would be: find a cause that matters to you, something you're extremely passionate about, and be of great service to that cause. Put your heart and soul into it and the crown will find you.
Who is your ideal beauty queen and why?
I actually have two ideal beauty queens! The first is my predecessor and pageant "big sister" — Mrs. New York 2017 and now the reigning Mrs. World, Alice Lee Giannetta
The second is Mrs. World 2007, Diane Hardgrove — who also happens to be my pageant director!
How lucky am I to know TWO Mrs. Worlds and have them both in my corner?! They both embody all of the characteristics that a queen should be: intelligent, beautiful, graceful and most importantly, kind. Their kindness shines through in everything they do. They've been incredible mentors to me and have really helped me navigate this new role.
Thanks to the beautiful Patti for the interview. Pageants News wishes you all the very best for Mrs America pageant.
