Category: Exclusive Interview

Mariah Jane Davis, daughter of Sheila Hoppis-Brown and Donnie Davis, is the youngest of four daughters, and a loving mom to two dogs, Grizzly and Little. She and her family are proud members of the Choctaw Nation.

Mariah is a graduate of The University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences degree in Film and Media Studies and is pursuing a career as an entertainment news correspondent.  Mariah has worked with Pilgrim Media, traveling throughout the country shooting television productions for the Discovery network.  Intrigued by the creative process of TV/Film production, she has additional experience producing and screenwriting for film. Her ultimate goal is to deliver entertainment news to the world, covering all areas of the entertainment world.

Mariah is dedicated to her efforts to encourage women to lift up and support women in both professional and personal endeavors.  Through Mariah’s passion, she founded the #LiftUpYourSister movement where she seeks to serve as an ambassador and speak about the need for women to honor each other and share information that promotes confidence over competitiveness.  Mariah was attracted to the Miss Universe and Miss USA organization and its mission to empower women through experiences that build self-confidence and act as catalysts for future success.  She is focusing her year as Miss Oklahoma USA 2020 to this mission.

In addition to speaking about women’s empowerment, Mariah is dedicated to helping those in need.  She works closely with “OK Kids Korral” through The Toby Keith Foundation.  She has helped raise more than $160,000 for both “Give Kids the World Village” and also for “Out of the Darkness,” for suicide awareness and prevention.

Mariah enjoys watching movies from a variety of genres, along with traveling and exploring new cities and cultures.  In one year she traveled to four countries:  Netherlands, Germany, France and the Bahamas.  She enjoys fitness and working out with well-known trainer Brian Atteberry at Results Fitness in Edmond, Oklahoma, and also rock climbing and kickboxing.  Mariah’s favorite and most cherished activity is spending time with family and friends and her beloved dogs, Grizzly and Little.

Mariah celebrates her duties with distinction as she pursues her dreams with compassion, integrity, and generosity. She is proud to represent her home state of Oklahoma during her year of service as Miss Oklahoma USA and again at the Miss USA competition!

(Photo and bio by Vanbros and Associates)

On September 2, 2019, Olivia Pura was crowned Miss Illinois USA 2020. Born and raised in Chicagoland, Olivia calls Deer Park home. She is the daughter of Derek and Anna Pura, the oldest sister to three siblings, and the mom to Bambi, a bernedoodle puppy. As a first-generation Polish-American, Olivia is honored to represent both Illinois and first-generation Americans everywhere.

No stranger to the Miss Universe Organization, Olivia previously held the title of Miss Illinois Teen USA 2016! She was proud to represent the state of Illinois at the Miss Teen USA 2016 pageant, where she placed in the Top 15. After a fulfilling year of service, new friendships, and travel, Olivia passed on the crown just two weeks before her first year at Northwestern University.

Today, Olivia is a senior at Northwestern, where she double-majors in Biochemistry and Slavic Languages & Literatures. Since freshman year, she has maintained Dean’s List status and worked as an undergraduate researcher. In the last three years, she has received over $10,000 in grants for her independent research pursuits and published her first article at 19 years old. With a passion for giving back, Olivia serves as a Peer Mentor for NU|Bioscientist - a program that helps prepare first-generation, low-income freshmen for undergraduate research. She is also an active member of both Kappa Alpha Theta and the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society.

In her spare time, Olivia enjoys painting, listening to music, and cheering on the ‘Cats! She can often be found going to the movies, exploring Chicago, or attending a concert. With a passion for health and wellness, Olivia loves F45 classes, testing out new recipes, and bullet journaling, too!

Olivia plans to use the platform of Miss Illinois USA to advocate for the inclusion and equality of women in STEM fields. Having faced implicit bias in her own life, Olivia recognizes the power of a role model and hopes to serve as an inspiration for others. Amazing women throughout her life have taught her the importance of perseverance and confidence, and Olivia plans to incorporate some of the principles into her own mentoring program to empower other young women to pursue STEM fields.

She is incredibly honored to be a representative of Illinois once again, and hopes to make her state proud at Miss USA.

(Photo and bio by Vanbros and Associates)

A 26 year old from Omaha, Nebraska, Megan Swanson is a proud graduate from Belmont University in Nashville, TN. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Commercial Voice with a minor in Music Business in 2016. Shortly after graduating, Megan moved back to Nebraska and founded her company, The Powerhouse Project, where she now serves as CEO, hiring her first employee in 2019.

The Powerhouse Project aims to equip women globally in the discovery of their identity, the navigation of their purpose, and the path of how to walk out their destiny. Through teaching the practices of a positive self-image, powerful communication skills, as well as sales and business training, Megan, most often known as “Coach Megan,” is sparking the Powerhouse within women all over the world.

Today, Megan enjoys life as both a CEO and a singer/songwriter, with clients in 29 states and a single with over 100,000 spins on Spotify alone. Her greatest passion in life is equipping women for mental, emotional, spiritual, physical, and financial success, overflowing from her own personal struggles and triumphs. She firmly believes that every individual has a winner within themselves; it just takes the right mentors in their lives to have it unlocked.

Growing up in a musical family, Megan enjoys sharing life’s stories through her singing, songwriting, and has performed for crowds of 5,000+ people, including being selected as one of four students for the Belmont Christian Music Showcase while in college. She regularly visits Nashville to write with some of the industry’s best writers and artists, and looks forward to putting out a full album in 2021.

As a 6’ tall woman (flat footed!), Megan is a champion for women owning the uniqueness they were born with, and regularly encourages women to embrace what makes them stand out. Through overcoming an eating disorder, a toxic relationship, and severe bullying growing up, Megan is proud to not only have won the battle against her own struggles, but uses those victory strategies to help tens of thousands of women find healing, and slay their own giants.

As Miss Nebraska USA 2020, Megan is so excited to advocate for the 1.5 Million incredible women in Nebraska from all across the state, and hopes to truly empower, activate, and encourage ever person of whom she comes in contact. “Life is too short to be boring, negative, or lazy!”, she always says. It’s time to make a difference and BE a role model, not just talk about being one.

As a real-life big sister to Miss Nebraska 2019 (MAO) Allie Swanson, winning Miss Nebraska USA 2020 is extra special as she gets to share 6 months of her reign as a sister queen to her real life sister. Megan is also looking forward to serving alongside Audrey Eckert, her lovely Miss Nebraska Teen USA, who she adores.

(Photo and bio by Vanbros and Associates)

Megan Renee Kelly is the Communications and Marketing Director for the sister companies- Kelly & Company, All Detainment Solutions, and Dynomite Fireworks in southwest Missouri. She also freelances as a web and graphic designer for various businesses across the nation.

She is a graduate from Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri where she obtained a Bachelor of Science in Strategic Communication with a double emphasis in graphic design and fashion. While at Stephens she was an active member of the Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority and served as the Philanthropy chair for two years, breaking fundraising records both years. She also attended the University of Westminster in London, England where she studied International Business and plans on pursuing a career in International Business Law. One of her proudest accomplishments is that she is a first generation college graduate and graduated completely debt-free! Megan Renee is very passionate about politics and women’s health reform and ideally would love to incorporate these passions in to her career.

She is the daughter of Anthony and Renee Kelly, and the big sister of Tristan and Claudia Kelly.

A few things she enjoys are spending time with her family, volunteering, creating tasty plant based meals, hiking through exotic locations with her dad, learning new languages, acting, modeling, and cheering in the stands of Arrowhead as a dedicated member of the Chiefs Kingdom. She especially enjoys traveling internationally, even solo, and has lived in London, England.

Securing the job of Miss Missouri USA has been a life long dream for Megan Renee. She plans to use her year to serve the state of Missouri, especially by advocating for chronic illness and endometriosis awareness, research, and education. Other causes she is passionate about include, but are not limited to, are: Camp Barnabas, Smile Train, the Ronald McDonald House, the Robbie Page Memorial Fund, 87 and Running, and the Miss Amazing Pageant.

(Photo and bio by Vanbros and Associates)