How many pageants have you previously competed in? (Please include which system and your placement)
This will be my first pageant experience!
What made you decide to compete in Miss Montana USA 2017?
This last year has been a roller coaster of emotions for me and I have truly searched my heart and soul to discover what it means to be me. I struggled with insecurity in myself, in my relationship and in my career, never quite knowing what the answer was, but constantly feeling like I should. While I have always considered myself an outgoing person, putting myself out there, whether it was in relationships, in a professional setting or in the spotlight of some kind, was something that I've found tremendously difficult in my early adulthood, because I feared failure. What's worse...I feared judgment. I came to a point where I realized I was so caught up on what other people thought about me, and how my actions portrayed who I was, or who people thought I was, that I simply wouldn't put myself out there and stuck to my comfort zones. I received criticism better than compliments because it made me feel uncomfortable to be praised, or made me feel conceited and big-headed to agree or accept. I so longed to be a self-sufficient, independent woman, but self-doubt, self-shaming, and low self-worth were feelings I was all too familiar with, and I know I am not alone. Finally, I decided I needed to make a change and told myself I was the only one that controlled my happiness and success. I started my own business, despite my fears and promised myself for the year to come I would do at least one thing each month that I have never done before or that frightened me, in an effort to break out of my comfort zone. I can't even begin to describe how those decisions have changed me and how much they have rebuilt my inner strength. This pageant crossed my path, and I knew I had to add it to the list of frightening activities that I knew I had to tackle head-on.
Outside of competing in pageants, what do you like to do for fun?
I love being outdoors in beautiful Montana hiking, fly fishing, floating, camping, you name it. I also play guitar and love photography and playing with every dog I come into contact with.
Give a brief bio about yourself. Include where you are attending school(include year and major if applicable), your future goals, etc.
I am 25 years old living in Missoula, Montana. I graduated form Carroll College in 2013 with Bachelor’s degrees in both Communications and Public Relations. I recently started my own event planning and PR company in which I plan weddings and work with a variety of small business planning events and producing marketing material as well as maintaining social media accounts. I have a furry child named Buster who is a giant cat I rescued when I was 13.
If you win your state title, what do you hope to accomplish throughout your reign?
. Being a strong independent woman is so difficult in today's society and young girls need more role models to prove to them that it's ok to have goals and aspirations that might sound crazy. It's okay to not love your body all the time, but it doesn't change who they are or make them any less beautiful. I hope to work towards ending body shaming for our young girls and teach them to practice self-love. I would love to help young girls gain confidence and independence, regardless of people that might tell them they can't. If I could help just one girl, I would be so truly honored.
What is your dream job(besides being Miss USA, of course!)
I have a million dream jobs, but my main goal right now is to design, build, and run my own event venue in Montana.
This will be my first pageant experience!
What made you decide to compete in Miss Montana USA 2017?
This last year has been a roller coaster of emotions for me and I have truly searched my heart and soul to discover what it means to be me. I struggled with insecurity in myself, in my relationship and in my career, never quite knowing what the answer was, but constantly feeling like I should. While I have always considered myself an outgoing person, putting myself out there, whether it was in relationships, in a professional setting or in the spotlight of some kind, was something that I've found tremendously difficult in my early adulthood, because I feared failure. What's worse...I feared judgment. I came to a point where I realized I was so caught up on what other people thought about me, and how my actions portrayed who I was, or who people thought I was, that I simply wouldn't put myself out there and stuck to my comfort zones. I received criticism better than compliments because it made me feel uncomfortable to be praised, or made me feel conceited and big-headed to agree or accept. I so longed to be a self-sufficient, independent woman, but self-doubt, self-shaming, and low self-worth were feelings I was all too familiar with, and I know I am not alone. Finally, I decided I needed to make a change and told myself I was the only one that controlled my happiness and success. I started my own business, despite my fears and promised myself for the year to come I would do at least one thing each month that I have never done before or that frightened me, in an effort to break out of my comfort zone. I can't even begin to describe how those decisions have changed me and how much they have rebuilt my inner strength. This pageant crossed my path, and I knew I had to add it to the list of frightening activities that I knew I had to tackle head-on.
Outside of competing in pageants, what do you like to do for fun?
I love being outdoors in beautiful Montana hiking, fly fishing, floating, camping, you name it. I also play guitar and love photography and playing with every dog I come into contact with.
Give a brief bio about yourself. Include where you are attending school(include year and major if applicable), your future goals, etc.
I am 25 years old living in Missoula, Montana. I graduated form Carroll College in 2013 with Bachelor’s degrees in both Communications and Public Relations. I recently started my own event planning and PR company in which I plan weddings and work with a variety of small business planning events and producing marketing material as well as maintaining social media accounts. I have a furry child named Buster who is a giant cat I rescued when I was 13.
If you win your state title, what do you hope to accomplish throughout your reign?
. Being a strong independent woman is so difficult in today's society and young girls need more role models to prove to them that it's ok to have goals and aspirations that might sound crazy. It's okay to not love your body all the time, but it doesn't change who they are or make them any less beautiful. I hope to work towards ending body shaming for our young girls and teach them to practice self-love. I would love to help young girls gain confidence and independence, regardless of people that might tell them they can't. If I could help just one girl, I would be so truly honored.
What is your dream job(besides being Miss USA, of course!)
I have a million dream jobs, but my main goal right now is to design, build, and run my own event venue in Montana.