Thanks to Tracy, Frankie, Erin, and Missy for a fun weekend! Thanks to all the contestants for selecting me as the winner of the congeniality award. Thanks to Pete Rohleder (www.peterohleder.com) for transforming my body into something sassy (I won swimsuit---yes, this mother of 5 won swimsuit!)! Also...JoAnn--thank you for making me feel like a supermodel on Sunday. I love my hair and makeup! Finally, Tiffany, thanks for helping the entire weekend run so smoothly! We love ya!
I often get asked about my motivation behind entering a pageant. For me, the answer is easy...I have dedicated my entire adult life to promotion of my platform, intervention services for at-risk youth. I make numerous presentations and publish in research journals as Dr. McDowell but have found that a crown can serve as a vehicle through which I can reach a wider audience. Being Mrs. Kansas America affords me the opportunity to speak with those on the "front lines"--teachers, parents, counselors, child care providers, etc. It allows my voice to have a wider reach. This is truly an awesome opportunity! I look forward to a great year and feel very honored to have been selected as the representative of married women in the great state of Kansas!
Just a bit about myself, I am Mom to 5 and Stepmom to 2 (we're a "his, mine, and ours" family). I am an assistant professor at Wichita State University (Go Shockers!) and earned my PhD in communicative disorders & sciences from Florida State University. As a family, we enjoy water sports, camping, reading, watching movies, and lots of extracurricular activities (basketball, wrestling, dance, track--just to name a few).
I'll keep you up-to-date on all appearances and experiences this year has to offer! Thanks for checking in.
