Mrs. Earth International 2018, Dr. Sonal Parihar Talks About Women's Issues in India

Sonal Parihar, Mrs. Earth International 2018 from Rajasthan, Central India was crowned on June 10th last year in Las Vegas, Nevada. She describes herself as a born perfectionist, full of diligence and has the utmost care for human values. Sonal asserts, "I’m a doctor by choice, a gynecologist by profession and a fashionista by passion."

Sonal who is a trained laparoscopic surgeon and colposcopist, and practice her profession in her multi-specialty owned hospital in Jodhpur, says, "As a doctor, I’m emotionally strong and balanced. I strictly manage my time depending upon  the preference of that day, keeping an optimum balance between family, hospital work, social commitments, and personal care."

A Mother, Military Wife and HandyWoman: Kristi Wischnack Wears Many Hats, but her Mrs Earth Crown is the Shiniest of Them All

With a dream job dressing brides and running a boutique with two little ones at home, Kristi Wishnack, crowned Mrs Earth 2018 on June 10th in Las Vegas, has her hands full on a daily basis. 

A day in the life

Kristi’s daily life is rather hectic and crazy. With two small children, still, at home, her routine is always changing as she owns a small boutique inside Pinkie Couture Salon. She is also a stylist at Natalie M. helping brides find the "perfect dress, dressing prom girls and pageant ladies along with flower girls, and all other social occasions. She loves watching women light up when they find a gown that makes them feel gorgeous and special, she says, "It is always a highlight and makes you feel good on the inside."

She can’t exactly pinpoint when she laid her claim to fame. Her entire adult life has been dedicated to her children and raising them to the best of her ability, but being a mother is her greatest achievement and one she feels blessed and honored to have been given. 

A tomboy at heart, she’s not afraid to get her hands a little dirty

Kristi may be girly on the outside, but she loves being outdoors and using her hands. She grew up getting dirty and removing car parts at her family business, a salvage yard, and always enjoyed tinkering with cars, getting her hands dirty and building things. Her husband can speak to the fact that she is the master builder or repair woman of the house. 

Pageant involvement and why she choose Mrs Earth system

Kristi’s two daughters competed as young girls and teens, and she was always on the sidelines, backstage helping them prepare and being a typical pageant mom. She decided one day she should put herself out there and see what they were experiencing first hand. She competed in her very first pageant in 2015 and met some of her very best friends and women who truly changed her life for the better. 

Kristi shared, "Mrs Earth pageant actually chose me. I was honored to represent the state of Kansas at the national pageant and won the National title of US Earth. This system is a feeder system into the Mrs Earth pageant. I knew from the beginning that going to a national pageant where being Eco-friendly and raising awareness was something I wanted to do. Now I get to use my voice and share a louder message across the world."

Ms/Mrs Earth experience

"Mrs Earth for me was a week full of memories and blessings. I was honored to meet women from all walks of life, all social, economic backgrounds, from all career fields. Standing on that stage with some of the world's most gorgeous women was a moment I will never forget. Learning about other cultures, or differences, or similarities was truly magical. I was blessed to make friends with many of the women and know we will stay in contact long after our crowns are stored away. It was a time I will treasure forever."

Favorite pageant memory

"For me, the one thing I will always remember is dancing in the back row with Mrs UK, Stacy Dixon.  We were dedicated to making memories during the week, and we did just that! She was a sweetheart and we really connected. The after party at Hyde Bellagio was also a huge hit; it was time we got to let our hair down and enjoy the night. Of Course for me personally, the best memory will always be the crowning moment. If you watch the video, you can see me looking over to my amazing husband in disbelief. I am so honored and grateful to be Mrs Earth 2018."

As Mrs Earth and her post-reign plan

Kristi has traveled throughout July and paired up with an organization called Clean the World. Her biggest goals are to share in different projects with her sister queens by helping spread awareness and share this platform with as many people as she can and use her crown to make her voice heard.

Her platform, advocacy in life, and her wishes for the world

"My heart and soul platform is Military Veterans Project. Being the wife and mom of veteran service members, I made it a life choice years ago to give back to our men and women who serve or have served. I am proud to be an American and honored to stand up and fight to find a cure for PTSD, and make sure every veteran is welcomed home, honored and praised for all they have done. It is not an easy job and being married to a soldier is not an easy task either. It doesn't take a lot to give back, but the reward is well worth any sacrifice I may have to make."

Kristi is also very passionate about women's (hearth) health awareness. Three years ago, she suffered a stroke that thankfully did not have any lasting side effects. Through the process, she discovered out that she was born with a heart birth defect. Today she shares research and support organizations like CHD that have mandated for newborns to be screened at birth for these same heart defects.

"Knowing we can save lives with simple testing is important to share. I personally had no idea I had this birth defect until I had a stroke at the age of 41. My life could have ended, but by the grace of GOD and with great doctors I am here today," she gratefully said.

As for her wishes for the world? Kristi's selfless passion feels that the world needs so much, one of them would be a cure for all types of cancer. Sadly, she had watched so many families who had cancer, including her own family.

Her passion is family

Outside of pageantry, Kristi strives to be a good role model, wife and mom. Nothing is more important to her than family. She is blessed with not only an amazing immediate family but also the best-extended family "ever" and loves the holidays when everyone is all together. Her kids are her life, and she wants them to be proud of who she is, what she has done and the legacy she will leave behind one day. 

If there's something, she can't live behind? She says, "My family." She added, "My family has molded me into the person I am today. My husband has seen me at my best and my worst. He has lifted me up and helped me become the woman I am today. I don't believe possessions on earth are things I can't live without, but being loved and giving love to those who love us, that's what matters most."

Pageant advice and why you should choose Mrs Earth system

"Go for it!! You will have an amazing experience if you keep your mind open, winning is just the icing on the cake. The Mrs Earth International Director has a great heart and encourages the sisterhood of pageantry which is really what it is all about. Creating memories that make you want to do better, be better and give more."

Defining beauty

"Beauty comes from within. I do not care who you are, being honest, reliable, dependable and keeping your word makes you a person of character, and to me, your character is what makes a person beautiful."

Defining women empowerment

"I define women of empowerment as women to have faced adversity and was able to rise above it. A woman who sees past as a privilege to improve, and can focus on short and long-term goals. Knowing when to stand up and say enough is enough, having a passion that fuels fire to make a difference. Empowerment is more than just a word; it is a mindset. We all have it; some need to believe it and believe in themselves."

Social Media

Facebook: Kristi Wischnack, Mrs. US Earth, Mrs Earth 2018 
Instagram:  @mrsearth2018
Twitter: @Wischfitness 
Snapchat:  Divakristi


By: Natalie Mc Govern

PageantLIVE and Ask The Crown Exclusives. PageantLIVE is known for exclusive interviews, and we pride to have and maintains on publishing our original contents. 

Ms Earth 2018 Corrine Devin: From the Navy to the Crown

Corinne Devin is a naval officer, pageant veteran, and an orthodontist. A fun fact, she was also a coxswain on a male crew team in college. It’s been a roller coaster ride of eleven years but Corinne has enjoyed every minute of it. When she was in dental school, she noticed how her faculty who had a military background wasn’t afraid of pushing the envelope or trying new things for her patients so when she was offered a military scholarship in the Navy she signed up. During her fellowship, she was told she had the personality of an orthodontist but didn’t know what that meant until her deployment where she was wiring jaws shut of marines. She found in orthodontics where she could change her patient’s outlook, improve their confidence and develop a fantastic doctor-patient relationship. 

Her Start In Pageantry

Corinne got involved in pageants when she was 24 years old and was in dental school. A classmate of hers informed her about the Miss USA competition where the 2nd runner-up that year was a dental school student and told her that she should do it.  Before she even had a chance to answer, another one of her classmates stated, “Corinne could never do that and told me I dare you to do that.”  That’s all she needed to hear to take the plunge and do her first competition. That moment compelled her to compete and try for something others thought would be unattainable. 

The reason she chose the Ms/Mrs. Earth system is for several reasons. She wanted to be part of an international system where she felt that many aspects could be incorporated into her daily life. Corinne lives overseas and constantly travels. By being overseas she has the unique opportunity to be an ambassador and role model from taking care of the environment to education - to the health of her community. These goals fell in line with the Mrs Earth Organization as it not only advocates taking care of the planet but also kindles the sisterhood and camaraderie that exists. Corinne was drawn to it by the women who were coming to compete. Her predecessor, Ms Earth 2017 Kristin Chucci, is a good friend of hers who she has known for ten years, and she really set the standard of how she wanted to carry out her year as Ms Earth 2018.

Missions and Mantra

Corinne believes that education is very important in today’s society:

“If we don’t educate our youth, none of the changes we make today will carry on for tomorrow. We live in a world where there are five continents and over a hundred countries, but the one constant is that we all share this planet together. It’s the commonality we have despite the many cultures and societies we function in. Learning to put that first is a challenge I want to take on living in another country and in my travels abroad.”

Corinne’s favorite experience was reuniting with old friends and meeting new friends. In the last year, her job relocated her to Sicily and as she has navigated her new home and life in Europe the one thing she has missed is pageantry. She’s been able to visit three women in her division that live in different countries. The sisterhood she has gained through pageants has been a valuable experience. The international friends she has made along the way have been supportive and she could not be more thrilled to have the time to share that bonding experience with them. 

Ambitions and Goals 

Corinne has a few goals she has set for herself during her reign. She would love to travel to ten countries on her list to promote the earth system, as well as go to national pageants that support this international system. Corinne loves to travel and aspires to throughout her year with an eco-focused mindset. She would like to act on behalf of organizations as a spokesperson as she currently works in public affairs in the Navy, Italy, and the United States. She would like to use her title as a way to impact, speak and educate as many people as possible. Her third goal is to serve as an ambassador for Mother Nature and bring light to this cause with the strong and powerful tool of social media to incite enduring change. 

When it comes to beauty she also enjoys eating clean and the feeling of a great workout or a night catching up with friends. Corinne could be dolled up or wear no makeup and lounge in workout clothes but it’s what she radiates after taking care of herself that matters. She finds the strength in struggles and opportunities when there are obstacles. She has learned to be innovative with every challenge that she has faced, handling it with stamina, grace, and dignity that not only pushes her to be better but also raises the bar for the women who surround her.

Words of Wisdom

“Plan ahead and Network. My journey started two years ago by looking at where in my life can I improve, and change for the better. Learning how to cook, work out smarter, and apply stage makeup all required planning and creating a team of individuals that could help bring out the best in me.”

Must-Have Necessity

One thing she couldn’t go without? Chapstick. With super dry lips, she has one stashed in every handbag in her car, office, and coat in the office.


By: Natalie McGovern

PageantLIVE and Ask The Crown Exclusives. PageantLIVE is known for exclusive interviews and we pride to have and maintains on publishing our original contents.