Georgia Pageant
June 25th & 26th, 2022

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Minnesota Pageant
June 12th, 2022

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Mrs. Minnesota America 2022
Rachel Betterley

Rachel Betterley was born March 2, 1991, in the river town city of Hastings, Minnesota.  At a young age, Rachel was gifted in the arts. “I was always holding a pencil.” She recalls. “I was the daydreaming, artsy kid constantly drawing new worlds, people, and realities.”

Likewise, Rachel has always been a people person, which is why she decided to become an art teacher. At nineteen, she pursued a bachelor’s degree in art education at the University of Minnesota Duluth and later received a master’s of art education at Boston University, graduating magna cum laude. In addition to urban and rural teaching experiences, She served internationally at Danila Kumar School in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Currently, she is serving her 9th year teaching high school art in St. Louis County.
 
Shortly after graduating, Rachel discovered the Miss America Organization and her life changed when she was crowned the 80th anniversary Miss Minnesota on June 13th, 2015. During this time, she served as the state ambassador for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and underwent a one-year anti-bullying awareness campaign that reached over 10,000 youth across the state of Minnesota.

Nationally, Rachel has appeared on Good Morning America and the Miss America Pageant live on ABC. Statewide, she has appeared on Fox 9, WDIO, Channel 12 News, Twin Cities News Talk, AM1280 The Patriot, AM 1460 KDWA, KBFT Bois Forte Tribal Community Radio, Hastings Community TV, and was a brand ambassador for Zandolee Media. Her role as Miss Minnesota inspired many aspects of her teaching philosophies and passion for making the world a kinder place through art. Through her #ArtwithHeart Empty Bowl Fundraiser, thousands of dollars are raised annually for rural food banks.

As a 10 year teaching veteran and artist, her goal in the public eye is to inspire people to live their life as authentically as possible, no matter how weird, outrageous, or creative that may be. She affirms, “the confidence to express yourself at any age is invaluable to your happiness and goal-setting. When you embrace the inner-self that is truly fueling your passions, you can set yourself up for success and help others along the way.”

Knowing the importance of art advocacy and staying true to those words, she decided to pursue pageantry in the MRS. division under the Mrs. America Organization. On June 12th, Rachel won the title of Mrs. Minnesota America 2022! She is honored to represent this great state and organization for established married women.

You can follow her on Facebook, Instagram (@rachelbetterley) and Twitter (@rmbetterley), where she enjoys posting about art, fashion, marriage, her two sons, Ryland and Nash, teaching, volunteering, snowmobiling, and various appearances. For more information visit: www.rachelbetterley.weebly.com

Mrs. Minnesota American 2022
Alina Sciorrotta

Miss Minnesota for America Strong 2022
Shelby Buckingham

I am Shelby Buckingham, Miss Minnesota for America Strong 2022. Born and raised in small town Madelia, Minnesota, I spent my time being involved in many activities. Two years in a row, I spent my summers as an American Ambassador through the People to People organization which gave me the opportunity to travel to Europe and learn about the culture and history of nine different countries.

After high school, I went to Minnesota State University Mankato as a dance major and ran a nonprofit dance camp, “Dancing for a Purpose.” The young girls in my community were able to put on a dance performance at the Relay for Life and collect donations to benefit other kids their age battling cancer at St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

Within the last year, I also became a Zumba instructor. My goal for teaching this class was not only to motivate women to live a healthier lifestyle but to also promote body positivity and feeling good in their own skin.

Throughout my journey of self discovery, and trying on a few careers, I have followed in my mother’s footsteps and found a passion for cosmetology. One of my favorite things I’ve experienced from being behind the chair for the past eight years is helping women feel beautiful and confident. Not only by coloring and cutting their hair, but by being a friend or confidant and giving them a listening ear. I want women to believe in themselves and know they can live a happy and fulfilling life, no matter what their circumstances are.

I’m thankful for this opportunity to represent Minnesota and continue to promote confidence for girls and women everywhere.

Mrs. Georgia America 2022
Meredith Pope

I found my voice through writing. Writing children’s books, gives me a special opportunity to use my talents outside the classroom. My blog (www.meredithpope.net) and I am NOT Trash podcast have proven to be very rewarding in many ways. Nothing makes me happier than reading all the emails from women across the country thanking me for the real life inspiration I provide. When I am not writing about eco-friendly superheroes or parenting tips, I enjoy playing tennis (2x City Champ) making commercials for Hotworx, Pella Earth Products and binging Netflix!

Mrs. Georgia American 2022
Jennifer Pettie

Legal epidemiologist, public health strategist, and health equity champion, Mrs. Georgia American 2022
Jennifer Pettie works to improve population health outcomes. Her experience spans the federal, state, and
private sectors, and lies at the intersection of healthcare strategy, policy, and law.

Jennifer’s work and personal life unexpectedly collided when she almost lost her life after giving birth to
her daughter last year. Determined to turn this experience into an opportunity to improve maternal health
outcomes, she created the Maternal Health Conversations Web Series – a national campaign that has
helped raise awareness, highlight resources, and inform next steps. Her biggest reward has been hearing
from moms, partners, support people, nurses, OBGYNs, and doulas and learning how they have found
this content helpful.

In alignment with the Victoria’s Voice Foundation, Jennifer has informed her Maternal Health
Conversations Web Series with opioid addiction awareness, resources, and action items. Recognizing that
opioid overdose is one of the leading causes of maternal deaths, she is working to facilitate strategic
initiatives to combat this crisis.

A proud alumna of Brooklyn Law School, Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health, and
Villanova University, Jennifer has worked to become recognized as a leader in her field. She was recently
recognized with the March of Dimes Woman of Distinction Award for Healthcare Leadership, NMQF
Health Leader Award at the Annual Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust, and Atlanta Young
Government Leaders Award. She has been featured in academic journals, broadcast radio, and conference
panel discussions on critical healthcare matters.

For Jennifer, self-care is spending quality time with her wonderful husband Jason, Bankruptcy Trustee
and Attorney, and their amazing daughter, Jayla Ann Rose. They can be found traveling, cheering on the
Atlanta Braves at Truist Park, taking walks in their Kirkwood neighborhood, and working on their tennis
game.

Miss Georgia for America Strong 2022
Dala Hufstetler

GALLERY