Mrs. America Pageant is a beauty competition that was established to honor married women throughout the United States of America. Each of the contestants representing the 50 states and the District of Columbia ranges in age from their 20s to 50s and earns the right to participate in the national event by winning her state competition. These state events are under the direction of Mrs. America state directors. The winner goes on to compete in the Mrs. World pageant.Mrs. America website
Mrs. America, Inc., celebrated its 45th anniversary in 2021. The pageant has been televised on networks including PAX and WE (Women's Entertainment); in May 2011, it was carried by the My Family TV network.
On August 29, 2014, the pageant was held in Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, Arizona. The pageant moved to its original pageant home, Las Vegas - Westgate Resort, Hotel and Casino. The pageant continues to be held in Las Vegas yearly.
During the 2014 pageant, Mrs. America, Inc., announced that it would be participating in a joint Russian-American contest to be held in Sevastopol, Crimea. This has caused some controversy,Salon News "Mrs. America goes to Crimea: The pageant that once tried to be trailblazing is a disaster" Sep 5, 2014Moscow News: "Mrs. America Defies Politics and Brings Beauty Pageant to Crimea" Sep 5, 2014 since Crimea is recognized by most countries in the world as Ukrainian territory that has been annexed by Russia.UN Website The 2015 joint pageant was supposed to mark the 25th anniversary of a joint U.S.-Soviet Mrs. America contest held in Moscow in 1989 to foster good will between the two countries; however, organizers announced that due to the devaluation of the ruble against the American dollar, the pageant would have to find a new site.
The Mrs. America 2026 Pageant was held on September 3, 2026, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Qadra Evans of Montana was crowned.
Events 1955: Ramona Deitemeyer, Mrs. America 1955, appeared on What's My Line?.TV.com episode guide. Accessed 15 September 2020.
1993: Verna Martin, Mrs. District of Columbia, on Wednesday, May 12, 1993, the designation of Mrs. Washington, DC – America 1993 was conferred upon Verna Martin by the Mrs. America Pageant selection committee. She was the first African American contestant to win Mrs. Washington, DC title..
2004: Traci Clemens, Mrs. Rhode Island, competed while six months pregnant with twins. She was the first visibly pregnant woman to compete in the nationally televised event. Traci Clemens is also the first African American contestant to win the Mrs. Rhode Island title.
Titleholders Titleholders are designated by year of title/reign; competitions are held the preceding fall. Title Year Name State Placement at Mrs. World Notes 1977 Ruth Johnson CaliforniaN/A 1978 Cindy Roberts Alaska 1979 Carrie Gabriel Strom New Jersey 1980 Carol Anne McEwen Texas 1981 Paddy Boyd Argovitz Louisiana 1982 Rhonda McGeeney Texas 1983 Susan Goodman Tennessee 1984 Deborah Wolfe West Virginia 1st runner-up Mother of Miss West Virginia Teen USA 2004 Mary Ellen Wolfe,West Virginia 2004 , TFTJ and made top 10 in Miss America 1980 1985 Donna Russell Mississippi 3rd runner-up 1986 Cynthia Amann Florida 4th runner-up 1987 Pamela Nail Mississippi Mrs. World Suzy Katz California N/A Originally 1st runner-up to Pamela Nail in 1987, ascended to Mrs. America when Pamela Nail won Mrs. World 1988 Jennifer Kline Minnesota 2nd runner-up 1989 Jennifer Johnson Oklahoma N/A 1990 1991 Kristianna Nichols IndianaN/A 1992 Dr. Doris Martineaux Dalton Pennsylvania 1993 Keyna Baucom North Carolina 1994 Wendy Lewis Texas 1995 Kimberly Brasher Oklahoma 2nd runner-up 1996 Cynthia Pensiero OhioN/A 1997 Lisa Lilenthal New York 1998 Renee Cairns Florida 1999 Starla Stanley Utah Mrs. World Stacy Willis Alabama N/A Originally 1st runner-up, ascended to title when Starla Stanley won Mrs. World 2000 Leslie Lam Hawaii Top 10 2001 Nicole Brink Indiana Mrs. World Previously Miss Indiana Teen USA 1992 (semifinalist in Miss Teen USA 1992) and Miss Indiana USA 1998 under her maiden name, Nicole Llewellyn. Laurett Ellsworth Arenz Virginia N/A Originally 1st runner-up, ascended to title when Nicole Brink won Mrs. World. Went on to host a national financial radio program: HERO'S Talk Radio, Freedom Financial Network and write an award-winning book: The RAFT Strategy: How to Build Your Tax-Free Nest Egg Without Risk 2002 Kristi Phillips Alabama 3rd runner up Was Mrs. America, Mrs. Congeniality and the TRIMSPA Dream Body Winner. 2003 Heidi Dinan Missouri N/A 2004 Julie Love-Templeton Alabama 3rd runner up 2005 Andrea Pruess California Top 12 Previously Miss Virginia Teen USA 1992 & Miss Virginia 1995 (dethroned) under her maiden name, Andrea Ballengee. Mrs. United States 2003. Filmed for television at the Palm Springs Riviera Resort & Racquet Club in Palm Springs, CaliforniaPalm Springs Desert Cities Virtual Film Office: Filmed in the Desert Cities2006 Diane Tucker Arizona Mrs. World Marney Duckworth Colorado N/A Originally 1st runner-up, ascended to title when Diane Tucker won Mrs. World. Previously Miss Nebraska Teen USA 1992 under her maiden name Marney Monson went on to become a published author in spring 2021 2007 Kelly McBee Wyoming Top 10 2008 Maureen McDonald North Carolina N/A 2009 Andrea Robertson Missouri 1st runner-up 2010 Shelley Carbone Connecticut N/A 2011 April Lufriu Florida Mrs. World First-generation American (parents from Honduras) Lara Leimana Fonoimoana HawaiiN/A Originally 1st runner-up, ascended to title when April Lufriu won Mrs. World 2012 Vicki Sarber Alaska Formerly Miss Alaska American Coed 1992-Placed 2nd Runner-Up at National Competition in Honolulu, Hawaii. 1990 Miss Alaska Teen of the Year. Placed 1st Runner Up at National Competition in New Orleans, La. 2013 Austen (Brown) Williams Texas Previously Miss South Carolina Teen USA 2002 (Miss Congeniality)Replaced at Mrs. World by her 1st runner-up Kaley Sparling Idaho Mrs. World Named 1st runner-up in 2013 Mrs. America pageant Replaced Williams at Mrs. World 2013 pageant by invitation of the national office 2014 Michelle Nicole Evans Oklahoma Top 11 2015 Madeline (Mitchell) Gwin Alabama 3rd runner-up Former Miss Alabama USA 2011 and 2nd runner up for Miss USA 2011 2016 Natalie Luttmer Washington Top 10 2017 Mekayla (Diehl) Eppers Indiana Top 12 Former Miss Indiana USA 2014 and top 20 at Miss USA 2014 2018 Nicole (Rash) Cook Illinois Top 6 Former Miss Indiana 2007 and 1st runner-up at Miss America 2008 pageant; Former Ms. Missouri 2012 and Ms. America 2012; also competed as Mrs. Illinois at Mrs. America 2014 2019 Natalie Winslow Nevada Top 20 2020 Brooklyn Rivera Texas Top 15 Eventually competed on Big Brother 26. 2021 Jackie Blankenship Michigan N/A 2022 Nicole La Ha Zwiercan Illinois Top 6 Elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 2022 2023 Regina Stock Texas Top 6 2024 Hannah Wise Tennessee Top 17 2025 Paige (Armstrong) Ewing Georgia 1st runner-up 2026 Qadra Evans Montana TBD
Crossovers Some contestants in the Mrs. America pageant have previously held state pageant titles in the Miss USA, Miss America, Mrs. United States, and Miss Teen USA pageants. They include: Mrs. Delaware 1985 - Debi Teed Fenimore (née Dow) - Miss Delaware National Teenager 1972 Mrs. Hawaii 1991- Julie Larson-Taylor- Miss Hawaii USA 1989 and Miss Utah US Teen 1985 Mrs. North Carolina 1997 - Janice McQueen Ward - Mrs. United States 1999 Mrs. Texas 1999 - Edrienne (Carpenter) Edwards - Mrs. United States 2004, Mrs. Texas United States 2004, Miss Utah for America Strong 2021 Mrs. Indiana 2000 & Mrs. America 2001 - Nicole (Llewellyn) Brink - Miss Indiana Teen USA 1992 & Miss Indiana USA 1998 Mrs. South Carolina 2013-Jennifer Loveday-Donovan-Mrs South Carolina United States 2010 (Top 15 at Mrs United States)-Miss South Carolina United States 2004 (1st Runner-up Miss United States)-Miss South Carolina Teen United States 1999 Mrs. Virginia 2001 & Mrs. America 2002 - Laurett Ellsworth Arenz - Mrs. Virginia United States & Mrs. United States 1997 Mrs. Pennsylvania 2001 - Dr. Lori Sundberg - Mrs. Pennsylvania International 1999, Mrs. Pennsylvania United States 2000 & Mrs. District of Columbia United States 2014 Mrs. Colorado 2002 - Emily (Weeks) Stark - Miss Colorado USA 1995 Mrs. Arizona 2004 - Britt (Powell) Boyse - Miss Missouri USA 1995 - Top 12 Miss USA 1995 Mrs. Idaho 2004 - Amanda (Greenway) Peterson - Miss Idaho Teen USA 1992 Mrs. Iowa 2004 - Jamie (Solinger) Patterson - Miss Iowa Teen USA 1992 - Miss Teen USA 1992, & Miss Iowa USA 1998 Mrs. Kansas 2004 - Kimberlee (Girrens) Easter - Miss Kansas Teen USA 1986 & Miss Kansas USA 1992 Mrs. Maryland 2004 - Nikki Karl - Mrs. Maryland International 2003 Mrs. Massachusetts 2004 - Claire (DeSimone) O'Connor - Miss Rhode Island USA 1999 Mrs. Minnesota 2004 - Melissa (Hall) Young - Miss Minnesota USA 1997 Mrs. New Hampshire 2004 - Stephanie (Foisy) Mills - Miss New Hampshire 1995 Mrs. Texas 2004 - Jennifer (Craig) Palmieri - Miss Georgia USA 1996 Mrs. West Virginia 2004 - Amanda (Burns) Duffy - Miss West Virginia Teen USA 1997 & Miss West Virginia USA 1999 Mrs. Pennsylvania 2005 - Kandace Gary - Mrs. Pennsylvania United States 2002 Mrs. South Carolina 2005 - Angela Hughes-Singleton - Miss South Carolina 1996 Mrs. California 2005 & Mrs. America 2006 - Andrea (Ballengee) Preuss - Miss Virginia Teen USA 1992 - Miss Virginia 1995 (dethroned) - Mrs. United States 2003 Mrs. Maine 2006 - Heather (Coutts) Clark - Miss Maine USA 1999 Mrs. Minnesota 2006 - Holly (Henderson) Ernst - Mrs. Minnesota International 2003, Mrs. Minnesota United States 2009/2002, Miss Wisconsin World America 1993, Miss Wisconsin U.S. Teen 1990 - Miss Junior Wisconsin 1989 Mrs. New Hampshire 2006 - Jessica Plante - Mrs. Massachusetts International 2008, (Top 10 at Mrs. International 2008), Mrs. Massachusetts United States 2016 Mrs. Florida 2007 - Jamie Converse-Estrada - Miss Florida USA 1998 Mrs. Illinois 2007 - Hallie (Bonnell) Thompson - Miss Ohio USA 1987 Mrs. Maryland 2007 - Adrienne Watson Carver - Mrs. Maryland United States 2006 Mrs. North Carolina 2007 - Kathryn Hancock-Stuart - Miss South Carolina Teen USA 1990 Mrs. Oregon 2007 - Kimberly (Stubblefield) Takla - Miss Oregon USA 1986 Mrs. Pennsylvania 2007 - Allison Dalcamo - Mrs. Pennsylvania United States 2005 Mrs. Tennessee 2007 - Christina (Lam) Ryan - Miss Illinois USA 1999 Mrs. Utah 2007 - Heather (Henderson) Osmond - Miss Utah Teen USA 1994 Mrs. Florida 2008 - Jaclyn (Nesheiwat) Stapp - Miss New York USA 2004 Mrs. Michigan 2008 - Sara Dusendang-Moylan - Miss Michigan Teen USA 1999 Mrs. Connecticut 2009 - Melanie (Mudry) Varian - Miss Connecticut USA 2007 Mrs. District of Columbia 2009 - Deanna McCray James - Mrs. Maryland United States 2005 Mrs. Massachusetts 2009 - Rosalie Allain-Morris - Miss Massachusetts USA 2000 Mrs. Missouri 2009 & Mrs. America 2010 - Andrea Robertson (Mrs. Missouri United States 2002) Mrs. Pennsylvania 2009 - Joyelle Scavone - Mrs. Pennsylvania United States 2006 Mrs. Vermont 2009 - Jennifer (Ripley) Bisson - Miss Vermont Teen USA 1999 & Miss Vermont USA 2003 Mrs. Arizona 2010 - Corrie (Hill) Francis - Miss Arizona 2003 Mrs. Colorado 2010 - Shalon (Pecosky) Polson - Miss Colorado Teen USA 1990 Mrs. District of Columbia 2010 - Regena Robinson - Mrs. Maryland United States 2008 Mrs. Florida 2010 - Kellie Lightbourn - Miss Virginia USA 1999 Mrs. Hawaii 2010 - Alicia Michioka-Jones - Miss Hawaii USA 2003 - Top 10 Miss USA 2003 Mrs. Michigan 2010 - Stephanie Hunt - Miss United Teenager 1982 - Mrs. United States 2007 Mrs. New York 2010 - Meaghan (Jarensky) Castaldi - Miss New York USA 2005 - Top 10 Miss USA 2005 Mrs. Texas 2010 - Shannon (Schambeau) Patterson - Miss District of Columbia 2005 - 4th Runner Up Miss America 2005 Mrs. Ohio 2011 - Melanie (Murphy) Miller - Miss Ohio 2006