Happy New Year 2019, Let's Celebrate!

2018 Highlight

Winner of The Global Beauty Awards for BEST Social Media and/or Vlog

Bellevue, Washington. PageantLIVE Lead Editor, Joyce Cortez accepted the awards.

TGBA Photo booth Fun Moments

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. 

Five Inspiring Facts We Love About Thom Brodeur-Kazanjian, Queen Beauty USA President

Queen Beauty USA is looking to bring the "beauty" back to pageantry and to unapologetically celebrate that women can be beautiful inside and out, and compete to advance their career goals and aspirations in the modeling, acting and entertainment industries without needing a story.
Thom Brodeur-Kazanjian - President, Queen Beauty USA 

Queen Beauty USA is the official country preliminary to the Queen Beauty Universe or La Reina Belleza Universo in Spanish, an international pageant system of King & Queen Beauty Spain or Rey & Reina Belleza España in Spanish.

The system is nearly five years in running and aims to bring a fresh perspective to pageantry. Thom Brodeur-Kazanjian, President of Queen Beauty USA, was selected out of the dozens of submissions for the license. Thom brought Queen Beauty USA to the United States during the evolution and changeover period, the time when Miss America and Miss Universe Organization(s) have signaled changes of their brands, in hopes to accommodate on what they believe their audience would love to see. He quoted, "That was the time of a very tough pageant market.” Needless to say, Thom is shaking things up and is determined to bring glamorous elements back in the center stage. Queen Beauty USA 2019 pageant will be held in Arizona in the summer of 2019, where Thom planned to produce the pageant using television and digital platforms.

Here are Five Inspiring Facts We Love About Thom Brodeur-Kazanjian

1. His pageant journey is inspirational. Thom discovered pageantry before graduating high school and has been in the pageant business for more than 30 years. Yes, we can testify he is a living legend, “In 1991, as a junior in college, I won the one and only "guy pageant" I'd ever competed in, Mr. Male America. Thank God for that. I was out of money for school, and if not for the cash prize, I would have never finished college. It was then that pageantry became less of a hobby and more of a life-changing platform in my mind. Right out of college, I was a multi-state director for GuyRex Productions; back then it was a franchise holder of the Miss World America pageant. I left the pageant and television industries to work for the next 24 years in the technology field where I served in executive leadership roles in marketing, strategy, operations and corporate development for companies like GoDaddy, Marketwired, EmpowHER, and MariaShireen. Most recently, before starting my own company again at the age of 48, I was the CEO of Yandy.com - the swimwear and activewear sponsors for the 2017 Miss USA & Teen USA competitions.”

2. He is family-oriented. Thom is an only child! He was born in Ft. Lauderdale Florida, raised outside of Youngstown Ohio, graduated 7th in his High School class, and he was the class Vice President, Prom King and co-editor of the High School newspaper. How impressive! Thom and his husband Tavit are the proud fathers of their awesome 13-year old son, Dante, and four vertically challenged dachshund puppies namely Google, Giggle, Atlas and Apollo.

3. He unapologetically celebrates beauty. We love Thom's reference of "beauty inside the beauty," he says, “Anyone who knows me knows what I've been saying for a long time that we should stop apologizing for celebrating beauty. We spend decades building our daughters, granddaughters, sisters, nieces and other young women in our lives by telling them how special they are, how remarkable they are, how capable they are, how smart they are, and yes... how beautiful they are. But over the years and even more pronounced recently with the #metoo and #neveragain movements, there has been a heightened fervor for what feels to many pageant fans and supporters, like a veiled if not deliberate denouncing of beauty in this business or at least an exchange of it for something else.”

“As a gay man who has never objectified a woman, harmed a woman, disrespected nor disregarded a woman, who was raised by a single Mom who was a Sargeant in the Air Force during the Vietnam war. I can comfortably say that my mother always represented to me this perfect blend of grit, determination, inner strength and yes, outer beauty. Absolutely feminine, comfortable in her own skin, classy, elegant, chic and also... tough as nails. But she never apologized for being a beautiful woman. Not at all. And I think many of us in pageantry miss the days where a good ole beauty pageant for the sake of showcasing the pomp, circumstance, glitz, and glamour of beauty for beauty's sake, is something we want back.”

“As a marketing executive and strategist for the better part of two decades of my career, I've often coached my teams; spoken truth to leadership and laid out the simple premise of math and science in Boardrooms about the brand. When you quit delivering the quality, consistency and relevant experience your audience such as customers, stakeholders, partners, expect from you - they will tune you out, and tune into something or someone else who is listening.”

“The mission of Queen Beauty USA is to bring the "beauty" back to pageantry and to unapologetically celebrate that women can be beautiful inside and out, and compete to advance their career goals and aspirations in the modeling, acting and entertainment industries without needing a story, without needing a platform, without needing to defend beauty by convincing the rest of the world how empowered and strong and "more than" just beautiful faces and bodies. We know that. We believe that. And we think it's high time to celebrate beauty again without "qualifying" it in some other way, first."

4. He is bringing the universal pageant back. Queen Beauty USA is about bringing beauty back! In relation to this, we asked Thom of his own definition of beauty, “Facial and physical beauty are clearly elements of our point of view for Queen Beauty USA - after all, these young women are competing in what's been called the "pageant for models", and so they must possess certain attributes that make them competitive in that field. That said, one of the key characteristics of Queen Beauty USA is that inner beauty, "beauty of personality," is actually judged and measured throughout the entire competition.”

“Ours is not a pageant where congeniality is only a "special award" for a non-finalist. Friendliness, kindness, and decorum are judged by the judges' panel from breakfasts with the contestants through rehearsals, through photo and video shoots, through dinners, through casual environments where contestants and judges interact. In our pageant, a girl can't just put her "game face" on for a 5-minute panel interview, or a 90-second stroll across a stage in swimwear or evening gown, or in a 60-second rehearsed onstage answer to a pre-screened and reviewed question. She has to be authentically herself 100% of the time from the moment she steps foot into the pageant, until the moment she leaves it.”

“With Queen Beauty USA, you can't be a "performance" or "stage" queen and not a beautiful person inside as well. You're being watched, observed, judged and critiqued every minute of every day of the time you're participating - not just in a closed interview room or in front of the crowd. If you're not good, kind and #beautifulinsideandout, you won't be a match for us. This is why we love our 2018 Queen Beauty USA Alexia Rae Castillo so much. She is truly one of the most kind-hearted young women we've met in the business. Her own living rule of engagement is... "it's nice to be nice." And she lives it. Alexia embodies what Queen Beauty USA is looking for, from a titleholder. Breathtakingly beautiful on the outside. Unmistakably and unfailingly beautiful on the inside. To us, that's what it's all about.”

5. He empowers women and people around him.  Every one of us has different roles in the society but how we empower each other especially for women who have been fighting for equality for years, gives us a great role to fill in. Thom's definition of women empowerment is, in fact, empowering. He states, “We see empowerment as a celebration of all that makes women remarkable and amazing. A powerful woman is a woman with a clear command of her intellect, her will, her dreams, and aspirations. She celebrates the rise of others even if she isn't rising as she'd hoped. She lives without regrets because she knows who she is, what she is made of, where she's been, and where she's going. And, for us, she is powerful because she is beautiful - inside and out - and she makes no excuses for it and suffers no foolishness from those who would judge her.”

Lastly, we want to know how Thom perceives Queen Beauty USA in the next five years, he enthusiastically answers, “We would like to think that it will propel many modeling, acting and entertainment careers. We hope you'll see future winners of America's Next Top Model; cover models for Sports Illustrated, Vogue, Allure, Elle, Self, and others; beauty campaign models for L'Oreal, CoverGirl, Maybelline, MAC; runway powerhouses on the runways of Fashion Week shows around the world, and possibly even future Victoria's Secret Angels come out of Queen Beauty USA alumni. We hope you'll see future Miss USA, Universe, United States, International and Supranational winners come from us, and vice versa. We see a lot of room for this sorority to grow and to embrace what is unique and special about each 'house' if you will. There is plenty of audience for all of us. Our goal is to deliver pure unfiltered beauty to the audience who wants that from us while we and our titleholders celebrate what others bring to the audiences who rely on them for what they bring to the table.”

Thom’s passion to empower is incredible. Remember, be unapologetically YOU.

You can follow Thom on his personal Facebook or Instagram and at the Official Queen Beauty USA Facebook or Instahandle.


By: Joyce Cortez

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

Beauty is Back! A Glimpse of Perfection with Alexia Rae Castillo, Queen Beauty USA 2018

About two weeks ago, Alexia Rae Castillo was announced as Queen Beauty USA 2018 and set to compete in Spain at Queen Beauty Universe in the Spring of 2019. With this new fabulous role, Alexia described it as an exciting whirlwind experience. Photo shoots after photo shoots and modeling opportunities just present themselves right in. On her part, the most exciting moment was the first glimpse of the crown, "Oh my gosh, it's by far the most beautiful crown I've ever seen! I'm really looking forward to preparing for the international competition in Spain, making appearances, and continuing philanthropic work." 

Yes, she's right. The crown isn't just about being a beauty queen but it also represents the impactful contribution in the society.

Beauty is back!

Alexia Rae Castillo is known for her appearance in numerous music videos and TV shows. You might not know but this beauty has made her feature film debut in the theatrical release of Warner Bros., Entourage, and most recently appeared in Disney's Wrinkle in Time starring Oprah Winfrey and Reese Witherspoon.

As we get to know Alexia, we’ve learned how her beauty also reflects from the inside, she is the 5th oldest of 12 children and was born on the coast in Mississippi where pageants are held all of the time and for all ages. She jokes, "Can you imagine being our parents? 12 kids! I don't know how they did it. All I can say is God Bless you, Mom and Dad!" She further recalls, "My very first pageant was when I was 11 days old and out of 12 babies, I won Best Hair and 2nd runner-up." 

Perhaps we can all agree with the old adage that goes "born with glitter," isn't she?

Alexia admits she is not the typical pageant girl. She assertively says, "I honor my pageant sisters and women around the world who have "platforms" - I just have a mantra that I live by that centers around kindness. Anyone who knows me knows that I mean it when I say, "it's nice to be nice." I feel strongly that the world could use a lot more kindness between people, and I do my best to do my part to contribute to that every day and with everyone, I come into contact with."

Aside from pageants and acting, Alexia also loves traveling and exploring new places where she outlines, "I find different cultures very interesting." 

She attracts the spotlight but the way she described her adorable pup was precious when we asked if there's one thing she could live without? She fondly answers, "This is an easy one. I have the cutest, little chihuahua/Shih Tzu/poodle mixed dog named Selena. This little girl is my world and she goes everywhere with me. I named her after the singer Selena Quintanilla. This little pup has such a sweet, loving, fun, and playful personality and just having her around makes me happy."

Defining Beauty and Women Empowerment

Alexia defines beauty and empowerment as graciousness and kindness saying, "I feel like whenever you leave a room of people, if you have the ability to make those people feel good, then that is "beauty." Being kind, respectful, and appreciative of the differences that all people can bring to your life, that's how I define beauty!"

"For me, the empowerment of women comes in so many shapes and forms. The collection of our life experiences, whether similar or entirely different from one another, makes us powerful. The way we care for ourselves - mind, body, spirit, makes us powerful. Our concern and will to lift each other up makes us powerful. You see, I don't think women's empowerment is a hashtag; I think it's a way of living, of being, of moving through life, every day. I feel empowered when I'm in a zone where I'm feeling healthy, happy and loved. I feel empowered when I'm able to embrace all that makes me who I am from how I feel on the inside to how I look on the outside. I feel empowered when I see women embracing all that they are and when they challenge themselves, the status quo and the 'movement of the moment' to retain their individuality and their unique point of view. Being you, all the time, without fail, defines empowerment for me - regardless of gender."

Pageant Advice

"Compete. Take a chance. Don't let anyone or anything discourage you from experiencing any and every part of your journey in this life. It's your life after all. Oh, and two super important things... Be kind. And, BE YOU through the process. There's only one of you, don't waste your time trying to change that to fit a mold."

With all of her success in life and career, we daringly asked if she have one wish or two in 2018, she graciously responded with, "To win Queen Beauty Universe in November and then land a gig in a major modeling campaign with either Guess/Marciano or take a walk with the Angels in the Victoria's Secret fashion show."

Alexia truly characterizes beauty in a beauty. Perfection, indeed.

You can follow Alexia's journey on her personal Instagram account and at the Official Queen Beauty USA  Instahandle and on Facebook.

By: Joyce Cortez

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

Miss America In Identity Crisis, An Iconic Era Over?

The current Miss America 2018 Cara Mund may be in favor of eliminating the swimsuit and evening gown competition, but not all former Miss Americas are on board with the controversial decision.

In December 2017, thousands of contestants and titleholders rallied together to sign a petition in wake of the Sam Haskell email scandal that ousted him from his leadership position as CEO. Newly elected chairwoman of the Miss America Organization Gretchen Carlson, Miss America 1989, had championed to save the program and beloved pageant on January 1st. On June 5th, Ms Carlson announced Miss America 2.0 on ET.

And then it became a love-hate relationship overnight.

In the blink of an eye, the pageant was completely turned upside down and stripped of its identity and origins as a bathing suit beauty contest with the announcement of the swimsuit and evening gown elimination. Meaning precisely that the Miss America as we all know and love will cease to exist.

Miss America's decision would take away from one of the hallmarks of the iconic pageant with its emphasis on health and fitness. Miss America 2016, Betty Cantrell, who has been working to advocate for healthy lifestyle initiatives and address pertinent issues such as obesity in Georgia post her reign, views the change as a step backwards and that it shames women in celebrating positive body image.  

Accordingly, in an article from NBC News featuring Ms Cantrell, she stated, "Miss America is about having beauty and brains — it's not about being Miss Businesswoman. It's essentially saying that women shouldn't be proud to be in their own skin. We're telling women to cover up. This is setting women back decades." Furthermore, Cantrell says, "I hope they get the reaction they want but I don’t think that this will help with their ratings. I’m concerned about the future of this organization."

Miss America 2017 Savvy Shields echoed a similar sentiment and felt that she was empowered in all areas of the competition, whether it was the swimsuit or evening gown portion. She shared this message on social media, "It’s my hope that Miss America will continue this legacy of strength. I felt empowered when I was wearing my evening gown, when I was in my swimsuit, when I was in my workout clothes, when I was in business attire and even when I was in sweatpants. Ultimately, empowerment is not what we wear, it’s who we are."

In an Orlando Sentinel interview with Erika Dunlap, Miss America 2004, made a bold statement saying "What does a feminist look like? A feminist is someone who, male or female, wants to position women so that they are powerful and that they have choices. And so, I feel like you can be in a swimsuit and a feminist."

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, you can do both. Beauty and brains can indeed go hand in hand.

We took a poll on social media to gather some perspectives on this hot-button issue. The answers? A resounding NO!

Not surprisingly, people like tradition and the aesthetic.

Pageant contestants and the public alike are bewildered by the hasty decision to scrap the most iconic part of the competition and what it was founded on, which is bathing suits. The evening gown is also a hallmark of tradition and what the pageant is most known for, that is, showcasing and celebrating beauty and poise.

Many reported on Twitter, as well, that they vow not to watch this year’s upcoming pageant and that seeing swimsuits parade across the stage is one of the many reasons they tune in. Viewers have lamented that they will miss evening gown because it’s what makes Miss America - it is what you think of - in that crowning moment!

Will #byebyebikini start a revolution, or cause a slow demise of the prestigious program?

Will ratings tank from a rash decision? What do you think?

By: Natalie McGovern

Disclaimer: Quotations and photos are from different resources.

PageantLIVE Red Carpet Highlight: Summer Raquel Keffeler, Miss Washington Teen USA 2018

Summer Raquel Keffeler, Miss Washington Teen USA 2018

Hometown: Monroe, Washington

Claim To Fame: 

Pageantry runs in my family.

Fun Fact About You: 

I have been to Disneyland over 25 times!

If you have one wish to be granted in 2018, what is it and why?

I would wish to be Miss Teen USA! I believe that I am qualified and have the characteristics to be a strong and empowering title holder. Pageantry has been a part of my life for many years now and being involved with the Miss Universe Organization has always been a goal of mine. I am so humbled to have the opportunity to carry my state title. I hope to grow not only my organization but as an individual with the national title.

Tell us about your platform or yourself, choose one or both.

About my platform: I am an advocate for a happy and healthy lifestyle, I grew up watching my sister play every sport under the sun but I lacked in the field of athletics until I found Dance and that completely changed my life. 

I am now the Vice President of the “Play On Sports” organization. The organization is geared towards young athletes in low-income families, we raise money to supply the athletic footwear, apparel, and equipment because I believe everyone should have the opportunity to pursue their passion.

About me: I am a 16-year-old honor roll student at Monroe High School, as well as a competitive dancer at Platinum Dance Center. I love yoga, kickboxing, and sports medicine. 

I am currently deciding between getting a degree in early childhood education and pursuing the career of a preschool teacher or becoming a pharmaceutical representative while attending undergraduate school to become a registered nurse in hospice care. 

And finally I am a very family oriented person, my favorite past time is watching Disney movies or football games with my family.

What is your passion or interest outside pageantry?

I especially enjoy dance and literature.

Where can we follow you on social media?

You can follow my journey at @misswateenUSA or @summerkeffeler 

PageantLIVE Red Carpet Highlight: Mandy Peterson, Miss Minnesota United States 2018

Mandy Peterson, Miss Minnesota United States 2018

Claim to fame:

After three years of competing for the Minnesota United States title, I am honored and humbled to represent the bold North. I also am an honor roll student with academic achievement status in addition to graduating two years ahead of schedule. 

Fun Fact About You:

Fun fact about me, well I am slightly obsessed with Oreos.

If you have one wish to be granted in 2018, what is it and why?

I would love to see more resources available to adolescents and teens who are battling depression. We, as not only a state but a country have seen a rise in teen self-harm and suicide. Together we can stop this epidemic and aid our up and coming generations. 

Tell us about your platform or yourself, choose one or both.

My platform actually affects me both personally and professionally.  As a suicide attempt survivor, I know how debilitating depression and anxiety can be. I have decided I want to overcome my dark battle and use my voice to shed light on the subject of mental illness. I am also a future adolescent counsellor with a current position in a day treatment facility focusing on pre-adolescent children who struggle with severe emotional and behavioral disorders.

What is your passion or interest outside pageantry?

I love to cook! I recently was challenged to a vegan “diet”, if you will, and it has broadened my horizons and knowledge when it comes to food. Cooking (and eating) is certainly a comfort for my soul.

Where can we follow you on social media?

Facebook: Miss Minnesota United States