Where is she now?

The organizations of Miss Maine and Miss America have made my life what it is today. My experiences as Miss Maine have made me a person who be- lieves in herself and appreciates breaking stereotypes, facing fears and dealing with nerves head on.

In 2000, I followed my dream of performing to New York City. I performed in cabarets, tours and regional theatres. But in 2005, I had to admit, a part of me felt unfulfilled, out of sorts, not quite right. I couldn’t really put my finger on it. So I began to ask myself some questions including, “When have I most wanted to get out of bed in the morning?” The answer was easy – during my year as Miss Maine – my year of service. Eureka! I needed, in my head and my heart, to know that I am helping people, and my relationship with the Miss Maine and Miss America programs made that a real option for me. So I changed gears – dramatically.

Today, I direct the educational efforts of a global human rights organization and am pursuing a Masters in Public Affairs at the City University of New York. My days include helping urban public school teachers analyze how race, ethnicity and poverty affect student achievement in their classrooms, meeting with officials from the United Nations on global educational efforts, or helping students understand the academic value offered by service - learning. On a regular basis, someone I encounter in my work does something that fills my heart up so much that I melt inside. That is what I have always wanted my work to be like, and Miss Maine and Miss America gave me the tools to make that a reality.

I would ask anyone who has ever been in a situation where someone has negated the validity of this program to please take a few minutes and craft a meaningful response of 10 words or less. We are all responsible for being mini-commercials for Miss Maine and Miss America programs. It is not enough to sit back and know that you know better than that person who just made fun or dismissed this organization. Share your personal experience. Tell them that this is the largest source of scholarship money for women in the world. When people try to tell you it is bad for women, help them to know that Miss America is an organization whose soul purpose on the planet is to advance education and opportunities for women to change the world – and what’s more feminist than that? Miss America can not only survive, but thrive, but the effort has to come from each one of us, at every available opportunity.