ABOUT
Our
History
Since 1950
The Sacramento Junior Chamber of Commerce applied for and was awarded a local franchise of the Miss California Pageant, the state finals for the Miss America Pageant. The first Miss Sacramento County Pageant was held that same year. The Jaycees continued to act as sponsors of the Miss Sacramento County Program until 1974.
The Miss Sacramento County Scholarship Association, Inc. was founded and incorporated in 1974 by three members of the Jaycees. Their purpose for founding the Association was to create an autonomous volunteer community organization to organize each year’s Miss Sacramento County Pageant and to raise scholarship money to award their participants.
Volunteer
To volunteer for one of our events, please contact us.
Past
Title Holders
Colby Haskell – Miss Sacramento County 2023
After shining at the Miss California Competition in June 2023, Colby Haskell landed her ultimate dream gig – an internship with the Disney College Program at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida! We cheered her on with open hearts as she stepped down from her Miss Sacramento County 2023 role after only five months to chase this incredible opportunity.
2020 - 2029
Imani Wheeler – Miss Sacramento County 2020 (2021)
“In 2019, I made the decision to compete for Miss Sacramento County. I didn’t know anything about pageants or yet alone where to start! But I knew I had to start, especially if it was in God’s timing. So I looked up pageants near me. I found out so much about the Miss America Organization and the rest is history!” ~ Imani Wheeler
Tori Brooks – Miss Sacramento County 2022
Tori Brooks has made it her mission to encourage women empowerment and be an advocate for domestic violence and human-trafficking awareness. She is the founder of GEM, a social impact initiative that connects women in these difficult situations to an uplifting support system. While women-oriented service is her passion, Tori has assisted various community programs including Night to Shine, Super Reader Program, Friends of the Children and even American Ninja Warrior. Alongside her work with the community, she has also been recognized in the Miss America Organization for top interview, top talent, Miss Congenitally, and the academic scholar award.
Tori is a cum laude graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Biology-Health Sciences and Chemistry from the Oregon Institute of Technology and worked there as a General Chemistry Instructor for a few years before moving to Sacramento. She is currently obtaining her master’s degree in Physician Assistant studies at UC Davis with future ambitions getting a PhD in Biology. With a love of world travel, WWII history, sweet treats and redefining her limits, Tori Brooks is excited to share her journey as Miss Sacramento County 2022.
Colby Haskell – Miss Sacramento County 2023
After shining at the Miss California Competition in June 2023, Colby Haskell landed her ultimate dream gig – an internship with the Disney College Program at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida! We cheered her on with open hearts as she stepped down from her Miss Sacramento County 2023 role after only five months to chase this incredible opportunity.
Ally Faria – Miss Sacramento County’s Teen 2023
Aly Faria won Miss Congeniality and Top Preliminary Talent at Miss California. She also earned a place among the Top Ten California Teens.
2010 - 2019
Taylor-Paige Marchelle- Miss Sacramento County 2010
Taylor is from Lakeport, California, and studied Accounting at California State University, Sacramento. During her year of reign, Taylor-Paige’s platform was “Volunteerism.” She has now graduated with her Master’s in Economics and working on her Doctorate. Taylor is an adjunct professor at the School of Business where her specialty is teaching economics. She also teaches economics at California State University, Sacramento, as well as math in William Jessup University’s Adult Degree Completion program. Before coming to Jessup, Taylor worked in the CalPERS Investment Office where her research assisted her team in worldwide government bond trading. Taylor has a B.A. degree in economics and obtained her M.A. in economics in 2017. In 2018, Taylor was recognized by California State University, Sacramento’s “Wellness in the Classroom” program for being an outstanding educator after being nominated by her students. Her most recent research has been furthering her master’s thesis on the macroeconomic indicators that influence local currency government bond yields in emerging market countries. While not working, Taylor enjoys acting in community Theater, singing, playing music, pageant coaching, tutoring, and loving her three dogs and two cats.
Tiffany Flossman – Miss Sacramento County 2011, Swimsuit preliminary winner
During her year of reign as Miss Sacramento County, Tiffany was a Pre-Med student at the University of California, Davis. Her platform was “Cancer Prevention Through Early Health Education.” She graduated from Loma Linda Medical School. She completed her residency at UC Davis Children’s Hospital doing medical rotations in pediatrics and she is now a pediatrician. Tiffany is married and has a son.
Julianna Johnson – Miss Sacramento County 2012
Julianna Johnson is a graduate of the University of California, Davis with a Bachelor of Science in Human Development. She is currently a graduate student at Touro University obtaining her Master of Education in Applied Behavior Analysis. As a senior behavior technician and program supervisor for Gateway Learning Group, Julianna provides behavioral therapy for children on the autism spectrum. In April of 2016, she traveled to the island of Sint Maarten as a national ambassador for autism awareness by partnering with the Love of Kids Foundation.
Dancing since the age of two, Julianna has performed with the Ballet Celeste International, Theater Ballet of San Francisco, and the Moscow Festival Ballet. She has attended summer programs with the Oakland Ballet, Diablo Ballet, Moving Arts Dance, and the American Ballet Theater in Detroit. In 2006, she joined the Peninsula Ballet Theater as an apprentice. Three years later she joined Michael Lowe’s company in its inaugural year and in 2013 she became one of four founders of the Davis Ballet Company. Julianna has also served as a judge for Dance Masters of California. She is a strong promoter of the arts as well as her personal platform, The Gift of Sight. Julianna has personally collected and donated over $450,000 worth of prescription eyeglasses for the One Sight and Saving Sight organizations. These glasses have been delivered to patients in developing countries who cannot afford proper vision care. Julianna continued to compete in the Miss California Organization and as Miss Bay Area 2016 she placed the third runner-up to Miss California 2016.
Ashley Newman – Miss Sacramento County 2013, Non-finalist Talent Winner
Ashley graduated from UC Davis and has a Masters degree in education. She was a teacher and led several championship debate teams. She is married and has a little girl. She is also the owner of California Yogurt in Yuba City.
Ashley Ott – Miss Sacramento County 2014, 1st Runner-Up to Miss California
Ashley Ott is an alumnus of the University of California, Davis, and graduated with honors, a Bachelor of Science in Cellular Biology, and minors in Chicano Studies and Art Studio. During her college career, Ashley became particularly interested in the areas of cultural competency and emotional intelligence and has worked in a variety of clinics, including Clinicá Tepati, a student-run free clinic that serves the Spanish-speaking community of Sacramento and also spent three months volunteering in clinics in Oaxaca, Mexico. In the past three summers, Ashley traveled to Honduras to set up mobile clinics and deliver free medications to families in remote areas and, during that time, helped raise over $45,000 worth of medical supplies and medications to donate toward this cause. Last year, Ashley coauthored a book about the role of emotional healing in doctor-patient relationships and, once published, plans to donate completed copies to cancer support groups in the Sacramento area. In 2012, Ashley was awarded the UC Davis Gold Community Service Award in recognition of her passion for volunteerism.
As a past president and regional delegate of Phi Delta Epsilon, a professional, medical fraternity, Ashley has had the opportunity to work with the Children’s Miracle Network for the past six years and worked during her reign to promote her platform, Trading Cope to Hope – Increasing Awareness and Support for Children with Cancer. Ashley has helped raise tens of thousands of dollars for the Children’s Miracle Network and continues to work in the hospitals of Sacramento to improve the experiences of children within the pediatric oncology unit and to educate and inspire children in the community to take charge of their health from a young age. Ashley was 1st runner-up to Miss California 2014 and placed in the top 10 at the National Sweetheart Pageant in Hoopeston, Illinois. She is currently attending medical school at UC San Diego.
Ashley is completing her physician residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and she just got accepted to Stanford for a gastroenterology fellowship.
Kelsey Cardamone – Miss Sacramento County 2015
Kelsey Cardamone attended CSU Sacramento to receive her Bachelor of Arts in Child Development along with a minor in counseling and dance. She plans on applying to graduate school to study psychology and obtain a master’s degree. Her ultimate goal is to eventually obtain a Ph.D. in psychology and work as a child psychologist. Throughout college, Kelsey has been an active member of her college campus. In her first year at Sacramento State, she joined Sigma Kappa Sorority in which she has held leadership roles. Being involved in Sigma Kappa has allowed Kelsey to support her philanthropic services to the Alzheimer’s association. Her sorority’s main philanthropy is supporting Alzheimer’s which is also her platform. She has been working with the Alzheimer’s Association for the past four years and has been actively involved in helping to organize the annual Alzheimer’s walk in Sacramento for the past three years. In the past three years, she has raised over $15,000 for the Alzheimer’s association. Every year there is an Alzheimer’s awareness walk held at the State Capital where Kelsey volunteers at. She also volunteers at the Sunrise Assisted Living home and Oakmont Senior Living Center talking and spending time with seniors. During her second year at Sacramento State Kelsey joined the Sacramento State Dance Team in which she could pursue her love of dance. Every year the Sacramento state dance team hosts an annual football and basketball dance clinic, where she has been able to teach children how to dance. She loves sharing her passion for dance with younger generations to encourage them to maintain healthy lifestyles. In her third year on the team, she proceeded to become a team leader. Kelsey has been dancing since the age of three and is trained in various styles of dance which include Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Lyrical, Modern, Hip-Hop, Pom, Musical Theater, and Ballroom. She has also had the chance to perform in a Disneyland parade and perform in a show at Disney’s California adventure. She also holds the national dance title of Senior Miss Dance 2010. During the 64th annual Miss Sacramento County Scholarship Pageant, Kelsey performed a contemporary ballet piece en pointe to the song ballerina. She chose this piece because it was originally written for a charity event and it also allowed her to show her original choreography. In her free time, Kelsey enjoys running marathons, watching college football, hiking, and crafting anything she can get her hands on.
Lauren Berlin- Miss Sacramento County 2016, Miss California Top 15 Finalist
Lauren is a student at California State University Sacramento where she is working on her Bachelor of Arts/Science degree in Deaf Studies and Food & Nutrition. Her educational goals are to obtain her BA and BS, then continue on to earn her Master’s in Dietetics. After becoming a registered dietitian, Lauren wants to earn her Ph. D in Dietetics. During her schooling, she plans to continue to learn and practice American Sign Language so she can become a certified ASL interpreter. Once all her educational goals have been completed, Lauren plans on opening her own practice where she can help the hearing and Deaf community alike with all of their health and nutritional needs.
Her platform is “Crawl to Walk, Sign to Talk: Every Child’s First Steps in Communication” and she wants to go out into the community to teach the importance of preverbal children learning American Sign Language to promote communication skills and excelling in their future academics. Her platform is important to her because it not only helps children learn to communicate with their families before they have verbal skills but it is a tangible tool to use when they enter school. “First 5 California” is a program whose goal is “to promote, support, and optimize early childhood development” and giving them the tool of ASL within those years is essential to their success in the future. Crawling to walk is the basic way that everyone learned to run. Lauren feels that just as it is imperative for children to master crawling before they can walk, they need to learn sign language before they can talk.
Lauren started cheerleading in 3rd grade and continued all throughout middle school and into high school. She held the title of Capitan on both the JV and Varsity squads. After she graduated Clear Lake high school, Lauren attended Mendocino community college where she studied Natural Sciences. There she also took multiple dance classes which started her off on a journey to become a professional dancer for a NBA team. She is now a first-year dancer with the Sacramento Kings. Being on the team gives her a deeper connection to Sacramento and the fans of the team. The Kings are a prominent force in the community, Lauren loves going out to events where she represents the team and helps build not only team spirit but the community’s connections to the team.
Nikki Holbrook Miss Sacramento County 2017, Top 5 at Miss California & Miss Hawaii 2019-20
Nikki Holbrook is a student at Brigham Young University Hawaii. She is majoring in Business Management. She has been involved in the Miss America Organization since 2014 and is currently Miss Hawai’i 2019.
Nikki is a classically trained pianist, starting at the age of 4, and has performed on television and before large audiences at various events. Nikki also serves as an ambassador of the Children’s Miracle Network (CMN), an organization that raises money for sick and injured children. She has participated in fundraisers for CMN such as the UC Davis Dance Marathon and Annual Golf Tournament. In addition, she has held her own fundraisers to personally raise money for this organization. Nikki has made numerous television appearances to promote the Children’s Miracle Network and its partners including the International House of Pancakes (IHOP) chain of restaurants and the Dairy Queen Corporation.
Nikki is an advocate for hard work, success in women, and service. She has spoken about these topics in speaking engagements for schools, church organizations, outreach programs, and young women’s groups. In May 2018, she gave a “TedxTalk”, discussing the importance of hard work and drive to achieve your dreams.
Inspired by her passion for service, Nikki developed the SNAP (Service Nurtures All People) program; an interactive presentation to promote community service. Nikki has presented her SNAP presentation at school assemblies to thousands of students throughout California, Hawai’i, and South Korea. Nikki hopes to continue to take her SNAP program throughout the United States and internationally to help young people gain a deeper understanding of the importance of service not only for those they serve but also for their own personal growth.
Alora Martin – Miss Sacramento County 2018
If you have any information on Ms. Martin please email us at miss.sacramento.county2.0@gmail.com.
(No pageant – 2019)
2000 - 2009
Sherilyn Peek – Miss Sacramento County 2000, Non-Finalist Talent Award at Miss California 2000
Sherilyn Peek, known today as Sherilyn Turton, graduated from Chico State in 1999 with a BA in music with an emphasis on vocal performance. After living in Sacramento for two years, she was married in 2001 to Nate Turton. She went on to earn her multiple subject teaching credential from Chico State in 2002 and taught English and Drama at Champion Christian School for two years – one year while she earned her credential and an additional year after that. Nate and Sherilyn moved back down to the Sacramento area in 2003 where she substitute taught and tutored for two years. Their daughter Katie was born in September 2004 and their son Ethan was born in April 2007. Sherilyn went back to teaching full-time in the fall of 2007 and currently teaches fourth grade at California Montessori Project (CMP) in Carmichael. CMP is a public charter school with five campuses that offers a tuition-free, Montessori education to public school children. In addition to teaching, Sherilyn sings regularly on her church worship team and has written thirteen Christian songs which have recently been copyrighted. She plans to continue teaching and writing Christian music. Only God knows where her music will take her, but she is hoping that someday some of her songs might be heard on the radio and at churches across the United States!
Michelle Crisostomo – Miss Sacramento County 2001
Michelle graduated from dental school and she is now a dentist in the Sacramento area.
Rebecca Bolnick – Miss Sacramento County 2002
Rebecca went on to win two local titles in Arizona, where she went to graduate school. She was second runner-up to Miss Arizona in 2002. She also competed in the Miss Arizona USA pageant in 2003 where she was second runner-up. She also went on to be a local director for The Miss America Program in Arizona. In 2008 she graduated from Arizona State University with a PhD in Developmental Psychology. She is currently the Director of Research at the Arizona Department of Education.
Meghan Blake – Miss Sacramento County 2003
Meghan Blake was raised in Oroville, California and graduated with honors from U.C. Davis with a B.A. in Communication. Meghan currently lives in Washington, D.C. and works at the public relations agency Edelman- where she manages corporate reputation issues on environmental sustainability for Fortune 500 companies such as Wal-Mart. Even though her talent at Miss Sacramento was belly dancing, Meghan is an outdoor enthusiast, mountain biking any chance she gets, snowboarding in the winters and traveling to warmer waters to surf. Meghan believes that the Miss Sacramento program helped her develop the confidence needed to walk into the most stressful situations with a smile on her face- as well as the ability to talk to a top reporter just as easily as a farmer in the Ozarks. “I feel truly lucky to have been a part of this organization!”
Brandi Chock – Miss Sacramento County 2004
Brandi recently got married and she is a pharmacist in the Los Angeles area.
Christiana Clark – Miss Sacramento County 2005
Christiana lives in Utah with her 4 beautiful babies and she works in the airline industry as well as writing music.
Nicole Honaker – Miss Sacramento County 2006, Top 10 at Miss California
Nicole graduated from California State University, Sacramento in 2008 with a Bachelors Degree in Kinesiology. She continued to compete in theMiss America program after giving up her Miss Sacramento County 2006 crown, and has won over $8,000 in scholarship which paid for two full years of her college education. During her year of reign, Nicole platform promoted the Importance of Being Physically Active and the Benefits that are Associated with Being Involved in Athletics. Nicole currently coaches competitive gymnastics at the non-profit Community Youth Center- continuing the platform work that she began during her reign as Miss Sacramento County. Nicole remains actively involved in the Miss Sacramento County Program, passing on the amazing opportunities and friendships that the program has afforded her. She is married and has a beautiful son.
Danielle Feil – Miss Sacramento County 2007
She has her master’s degree in theater and she is has directed plays on many levels. She is the current director of The Hummingbird Theater Company and she is a part of the Miss Sacramento County Program where she consults on the contestant’s talents and a former director of the local Miss Sacramento County Program.
Brittney Henry – Miss Sacramento County 2008
Brittney Henry attended California State University, Sacramento during her reign as Miss Sacramento County where she obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Intercultural Communications. Brittney graduated from Puyallup High School in Puyallup, Washington. Her platform during her reign as Miss Sacramento County was “Promoting Higher Education for Low-Income Families.” During her year of reign, Brittney spoke in schools and volunteered with the Sacramento Community Learning Center and Life Inspiration For Teens organizations. Her mission was to spread the message of the benefits of a college degree to Sacramento’s youth. After her year of reign as Miss Sacramento County, Brittney went on to become Miss Washington 2011 and competed for the 2012 Miss America crown in Las Vegas, NV.
Hannah Shaw – Miss Sacramento County 2009, Non-Finalist Talent Award at Miss California, Miss Congeniality at Miss California
Hannah Shaw, originally from Visalia, CA, moved to Sacramento in 2005 to pursue her education in Criminal Justice at California State University, Sacramento. She graduated in May 2009 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice and began her career in Law Enforcement. While attending Sacramento State, Hannah had many wonderful opportunities including rowing for Sacramento State’s rowing team (her team won NCAA Championship Honors in their home regatta), and dancing for Sacramento State’s dance team- The Hornet Girls. Hannah’s continued dance success landed her a spot on the San Francisco 49er’s 2008-2009 Cheerleading Team, The Goldrush. With her Goldrush teammates, Hannah had the unique opportunity to travel, perform and represent the United States in Hong Kong at the 2008 Chinese New Year Parade. During her year of reign as Miss Sacramento County, Hannah promoted her platform, “Youth Mentoring.” She was able to work with several organizations including the Boys and Girls Club of Sacramento, The Non-Profit Aspira Association and Sacramento State University’s Youth Mentoring Program. She works in law enforcement and she is married with two children.
1990 - 1999
Annetta Lucero – Miss Sacramento County 1990
If you have any information on Ms. Lucero please email us at miss.sacramento.county2.0@gmail.com.
Suzanne Newhouse – Miss Sacramento County 1991
If you have any information on Ms. Newhouse please email us at miss.sacramento.county2.0@gmail.com.
Kristin Bergstrom – Miss Sacramento County 1992
If you have any information on Ms. Bergstrom please email us at
Ahtossa Piroozfar – Miss Sacramento County 1993
Ahtossa Piroozfar Fullerton graduated UC Davis, and then attended Santa Clara University, obtaining both a law degree and MBA. In 2010 Ahtossa became a partner in the San Francisco law firm Wasacz, Hilley and Fullerton. Ahtossa specializes in juvenile and family law as well as mediation services. She lives in Mill Valley with her husband and three children and enjoys engaging in volunteer and philanthropic activities both in Marin and San Francisco. During her reign as Ms. Sacramento County, Ahtossa’s platform focused on voting.
Kristi Smith – Miss Sacramento County 1994
Kristi graduated with honors from the University of California at Davis in 1995, holding two bachelor’s degrees, one in English and one in psychology. Her education later continued at the University of San Diego where she completed her teaching credential. In 2000, Kristi received her Master of Arts degree in Curriculum Design from the University of California at San Diego. Throughout her career, she has worked in various teaching capacities, ranging from university-level students down to kindergarten, including establishing her own business, Revolution in Writing. Currently, Kristi works as a writing instructor for the University of San Diego in the School of Business Administration. Kristi lives in Encinitas, California with her husband and three children where she enjoys being active in her kids’ school community, beach time with the family, running, and hiking.
Melody Clinger – Miss Sacramento County 1995
If you have any information on Ms. Clinger please email us at miss.sacramento.county2.0@gmail.com.
Stacy Perez – Miss Sacramento County 1996
If you have any information on Ms. Perez please email us at miss.sacramento.county2.0@gmail.com.
Lisa Churches – Miss Sacramento County 1997
If you have any information on Ms. Churches please email us at miss.sacramento.county2.0@gmail.com.
Altinay Miller – Miss Sacramento County 1998
After being crowned Miss Sacramento County at the age of 17 Altinay, also known as Tia, went on to the Miss California pageant where she was awarded the talent award. Tia used her scholarship money toward college where she received a BFA in music, dance, and theatre. After college Tia moved to New York City to realize her dream of becoming a professional actor. She currently lives in New York City performing and teaching professionally. Tia is currently an original cast member of Aladdin on Broadway. She was also seen on Broadway in Mary Poppins and A Christmas Story. You may have also seen her on tour in Mamma Mia, Bombay Dreams, or High School Musical. Follow her on Twitter: @SOHATIA Instagram: Tia Altinay
(No pageant – 1999)
1980 - 1989
Andrea McElwain – Miss Sacramento 1980
Supporting herself as a dance instructor and part-time sales clerk, Andrea McElwain, 21, is a communications major at Sacramento State University. She wants to be a television news anchorwoman. “I was a starving dancer and when I got into the Miss Sacramento program, I started speaking and found out it was a talent of mine and I really enjoyed it,” she says. “Actually, I’m a real ham.” Mcelwain, an American River College student at the time she was crowned, won $1,300 in scholarships to help pay her expenses at Sacramento State. she says her title has been a tremendous asset in other ways, too. “I would never be able to teach if I didn’t have the experience of being Miss Sacramento,” she says. “That opened a lot of doors for me.” She is a free-lance teacher and says the title has brought her most of her clients.
(An excerpt from The Sacramento Bee, 1982)
Deborah Moller – Miss Sacramento 1981
If you have any information on Ms. Moller please email us at miss.sacramento.county2.0@gmail.com.
Trina Gillespie – Miss Sacramento County 1982
If you have any information on Ms. Gillespie please email us at miss.sacramento.county2.0@gmail.com.
Thora Chaves – Miss Sacramento County 1983
Thora Ann Chaves would say that she lives a charmed life; or it could be that all the hard work, aptitude and kind spirit she brings to everything she touches is paying off. In 1983 she stood on the stage at Miss Sacramento and proclaimed she wanted to be the art director of a national magazine by 30; she achieved that goal by 28. It was then time to set new ambitions, and with the BA degree in Journalism she obtained in 1986 she pivoted to the field of Communications, bringing her skills of magazine production with her. It was a perfect complement to her skills, and her career took off once again. She is currently in charge of an incredible team of writers, designers and creatives for the state of California.
Thora never forgot her ancestral home of Hawaii and her talent she displayed so beautifully the night she won the competition. She continued to study and perform Hula for many years before being honored with a scholarship to study in Hawaii for her teaching credential as a Kumu Hula (Hula Master).
Her home life is as blessed as the other aspects of her life. She is married to a wonderful woman and they have three awesome children. Thora spends much of her downtime traveling the world with her wife, watching their kids live their best lives, and is grateful for the opportunities hard work and mindfulness has provided.
Lisa Manley – Miss Sacramento County 1984
Lisa Manley-Jeffers is a native Californian who began her professional life as an actress. A member of Equity, the union for professional actors, Lisa starred in numerous theatrical productions across the United States. In fact, many people in the Tulsa area remember her as “Laurey” in Discoveryland!’s production of “Oklahoma!”. After her marriage, she worked in the insurance business as a Long Term Care Consultant, promoted to National Sales Trainer for Amex Life and GE Assurance. Lisa moved to the Los Angeles area in 1999, where she opened her Voice and Performing Arts studio. She and her family relocated back to the Tulsa area where she became a Real Estate Consultant with Keller Williams Realty. She considers herself an honorary Oklahoman, having lived in this area for over 10 years.
Karyl Knopp – Miss Sacramento County 1985
Karyl (Knopp) Villa graduated from UCLA in 1983 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication Studies. She was working for The Running Scene Magazine in Sacramento as an Account Executive when she decided to compete in The Miss Sacramento County Pageant in 1985 and became the eventual titleholder. That year she ranks as one of the top ten experiences in her life and one she will always cherish. During that year she met her future husband, Tom Villa. They now live in Granite Bay and have two children.
Janette Emelio – Miss Sacramento County 1986
If you have any information on Ms. Emelio please email us at miss.sacramento.county2.0@gmail.com.
Josselyn Boyle – Miss Sacramento County 1987
If you have any information on Ms. Boyle please email us at miss.sacramento.county2.0@gmail.com.
Leslie Witt-Mabbutt Preble – Miss Sacramento County 1988
Leslie Preble (née Witt) is celebrating the 35th anniversary of her 1988 reign as Miss Sacramento County. Her time as Miss Sacramento County led to the formation of many lifelong friendships and connections, most importantly to her husband, Ron.
After passing the crown, Leslie went on to graduate from California State University Sacramento and entered the workforce. She managed or owned multiple businesses, all while living out her dream of being a mom by raising her three daughters.
Leslie continues to live an active lifestyle, enjoying travel, friendships, and fellowship at her church. She currently works as a supervised visit coordinator, helping noncustodial parents build lasting relationships with their children. On the weekends, she uses her talent for singing by volunteering for the worship team at Centerpoint Community Church in Roseville, CA.
Leslie resides in Fair Oaks, CA with her husband Ron.
Kyla Todd – Miss Sacramento County 1989
If you have any information on Ms. Todd please email us at miss.sacramento.county2.0@gmail.com.
1970 - 1979
Sandra Lynn Herring – Miss Sacramento 1970
If you have any information on Ms. Herring, please email us at miss.sacramento.county2.0@gmail.com.
Linda Lillian Jonason – Miss Sacramento 1971
If you have any information on Ms. Jonason, please email us at miss.sacramento.county2.0@gmail.com.
Laura Harrison – Miss Sacramento 1972
Shortly after her Miss Sacramento reign, Laura Harrison became a PSA flight attendant. She kept a fairly low profile until 1980 when she appeared in an adult photo essay. Soon Hollywood producers were knocking on her door and Harrison found herself on the threshold of stardom. “I was offered a contract to do three movies,” she says. “I took acting classes at UCLA because they wanted me to get some experience. Then the producers came around and I found out you don’t ever get anything for nothing … Some of the girls trying to get into the movie business will do anything.” Harrison now has no desire to be an actor. “I’d rather be the brains behind the scenes,” she says. She returned to Sacramento and started Entourage, a catering assistance business and she still works part-time for PSA.
(An excerpt from The Sacramento Bee, 1982)
Unknown – Miss Sacramento 1973
If you have any more recent information on Miss Sacramento 1973, please email us at miss.sacramento.county2.0@gmail.com.
Cynthia Ann Olson – Miss Sacramento 1974
If you have any information on Ms. Olson, please email us at miss.sacramento.county2.0@gmail.com.
Debra Jo Nix- Miss Sacramento 1975
Debra (Debbie) Jo Nix was born in Savannah, GA. She attended Northern Michigan University and Fresno State University. After her reign as Miss Sacramento, Debbie competed for the Miss World-America title in 1979 as Miss Arizona. The Miss World-America pageants were held in 1978, 1979, and 1980.
Linda Snook – Miss Sacramento 1976, 3rd Runner-up to Miss California
Linda Regan (known today as Linda Regan Bott) won the title of Miss Sacramento at age 17. Immediately, Linda began a four-year association with the Miller’s Outpost retail chain which kept her busy jetting back and forth to Los Angeles to do print ads, commercials, and voice-over work for their ad campaigns. Simultaneously, Linda was tackling 5 Broadway shows a day, six days a week at Marriott’s Great America in San Jose. After her year of reign, Linda moved to Los Angeles where she landed a job with the “Golddiggers,” a 6-member troupe of female singer/dancers who opened for Dean Martin, Joan Rivers, David Brenner, and others as they toured North America. After three years with the Golddiggers, Linda took some time off and crafted her own nightclub act, wowing audiences from Los Angeles to Monrovia, Africa, and countless points in–between. From there she embarked on a several-year stint as a cutting-edge cabaret performer at the Pink Giraffe Club in Hong Kong. Three more years with the Golddiggers led to Linda’s first album release in 1993. “No Boundaries” featured what would become the theme song for the Sacramento AIDS foundation, “Let The Miracles Begin”. Linda ultimately ended up in the songwriting capital of the world, Nashville, Tennessee where she worked with some of the city’s best songwriters and artists: www.lindabott.com. Linda now owns Free Fire Radio KCNR1460 A.M. with her husband and morning talk show co-anchor, Carl Bott.
Credits: Marc Beauchamp, m.redding.com
(No Pageant in 1977)
Carlotta Gutierrez- Miss Sacramento 1978
If you have any information on Ms. Gutierrez please email us at miss.sacramento.county2.0@gmail.com.
Deborah Adams – Miss Sacramento 1979
If you have any information on Ms. Adams please email us at miss.sacramento.county2.0@gmail.com.
1960 - 1969
Linda Hines – Miss Sacramento 1960
Linda Hines, also known as Lori Saunders, is an American film and television actress. Lori was featured in over 100 television commercials and starred in the Petticoat Junction TV series from 1966-1972 as Bobbie Jo Bradley, appearing in 147 episodes. In addition to Petticoat Junction, Lori was a regular cast member on Dusty’s Trail, a mid-1970’s comedy television series starring Bob Denver. She also appeared as Betty Gordon, one of Mr. Drysdale’s secretaries in the last season of The Beverly Hillbillies. Lori appeared in the 1966 horror film, Blood Bath. Other films include: A Day at the White House (1972), Captive (1980), and Mara of the Wilderness (1965) with Adam West. Lori retired from acting in 1980 and enjoys working with various charities and creating art sculptures and oil paintings. Married to her fun-loving husband Bernard since 1960, she has two grown children and lives in Montecito, California. You can visit Lori’s website at: www.lorisaunders.com
Julie Van de Vort – Miss Sacramento 1961
The day Julie Van De Vort (Julie Curry) was crowned, she said her goal was to sing in Broadway musicals. She gave it a shot, but found out it wasn’t what she wanted. “I went to L.A. for a while,” she says, “but it was just really hard to break into that business and live that kind of life. I met my husband there – he was a dancer – and we decided that we wanted other things.” She moved back to the Sacramento area with her husband, Jere, and both became dance instructors. Today, the 40-year-old Curry tutors young dancers at the Davis Art Center. Curry, who at the time attended San Juan High school in Citrus Heights, said she entered the Miss Sacramento contest mainly for the opportunity of singing – just once – on the Memorial Auditorium stage. “My father was a singer,” she says, “and I wanted to do that. The contest was a vehicle to realize that dream.”
(An excerpt from The Sacramento Bee, 1982)
Micheyl Broaddus – Miss Sacramento 1962
Micheyl Broaddus graduated from Encina High School in 1961.
If you have any additional information on Ms. Broaddus, please email us at miss.sacramento.county2.0@gmail.com.
Wendy Lee Douglas – Miss Sacramento 1963, Miss California 1963, Top 10 Semi-Finalist at Miss America 1963
If you have any information on Ms. Douglas, please email us at miss.sacramento.county2.0@gmail.com.
Yvonne Zetz – Miss Sacramento 1964
During the year Yvonne Zetz was Miss Sacramento, her boyfriend, Dave Torgerson, was off playing baseball in the Los Angeles (now California) Angels farm system. The couple married in 1965, and moved to the south Bay area where Dave played for the San Jose Bees. Yvonne traveled with Dave to and from minor league towns the next two years. then the couple chucked the dram of becoming the next Tom and Nancy Seaver. Dave quit baseball and they returned to Sacramento to start a family. Before she was crowned, Yvonne Zetz, now 36 and now Yvonne Torgerson, had modeled for a couple of years while attending Hiram Johnson High School. But she didn’t pursue modeling and show business offers that poured in at the end of 1965. “I was asked to do the Gold Digger thing and dance in Vegas,” she says. “I was flattered. However, I didn’t want to do anything like that. I just wanted to get married and have a family.” After moving back to Sacramento, though, she modeled off and on until her second son was born in 1969. Today she works part time as a waitress in a Sacramento restaurant.
(An excerpt from The Sacramento Bee, 1982)
Lynn Cheryl Steiner – Miss Sacramento 1965
If you have any information on Ms. Steiner, please email us at miss.sacramento.county2.0@gmail.com.
Sheri Kurk – Miss Sacramento 1966
If you have any information on Ms. Kurk, please email us at miss.sacramento.county2.0@gmail.com.
Mary Eddi Duckworth – Miss Sacramento 1967
If you have any information on Ms. Duckworth, please email us at miss.sacramento.county2.0@gmail.com.
Patti Smith – Miss Sacramento 1968, 4th Runner-Up to Miss California 1968, Won the Talent Competition at Miss California 1968
During her year of reign, Patti’s hobbies included playing tennis, making feather flowers and singing. If you have any information on Ms. Smith, please email us at miss.sacramento.county2.0@gmail.com.
Polly Ann Houghton – Miss Sacramento 1969, 1st Runner-Up to Miss CA 1969, Won the Talent Competition at Miss California 1969
During her year of reign, Polly attended Sacramento State College where she majored in English. Her hobbies included singing, playing the piano, and reading. If you have any more recent information on Ms. Houghton, please email us at miss.sacramento.county2.0@gmail.com.
Suzanne Wensch – Miss Metro Sacramento 1969, Maid of California 1969
Suzanne Wensch (now Suzanne Nickens), won the title of Miss Metro Sacramento in 1969. This title was the first step toward becoming Miss Universe (Miss Sacramento winners traverse Miss America). Nickens entered and won the Maid of California contest in 1969 as a stand-in for Miss Sacramento County, who was unable to compete.
If you have any more recent information on Ms. Wensch, please email us at miss.sacramento.county2.0@gmail.com.
1951 - 1959
Patricia Lehman – Miss Sacramento 1951, Miss California 1951, National Finalist at Miss America 1951
You may remember Patricia Lehman (known today as Pat Blucher), as the school teacher who became Miss Sacramento, Miss California and a National Finalist in the Miss America Pageant in 1951-52. A lifelong musician, Pat attributes much of her success in the Miss America Program to the pageant’s talent component. To this day, Pat still performs her Miss America piano medley of classical, swing and jazz music. Pat taught for 40 years in the Sacramento Unified School District where she often lead the student’s choir and organized talent shows. After retiring with Sacramento Unified, Pat joined the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society which provided her with the opportunity to play with other musicians for the first time. Over the years, Pat has played with Sacramento’s No Name Jazz and Dance Band, the Absolute Jazz Band, the Black Tuesday Jazz Band, theMusicats Jazz Band, the Dixon Firehouse Philharmonic Jazz Band and has performed regularly as part of the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee. Pat regularly performs with her own Jazz Band, Pat Blucher and the Jazzin’ Gents, which performs regularly at the Straw Hat Pizza in Rancho Cordova. Married for 51 years to Lester Blucher, Pat has two sons, enjoys spending time with her three grandchildren, and welcomed her second great-grandchild in September 2012.
Angela LaBrasca
If you have any information about Ms. LaBrasca, please email us at miss.sacramento.county2.0@gmail.com.
Joyce Burger – Miss Sacramento 1953
Delsa Keaton – Miss Sacramento 1954
If you have any information on Ms. Keaton, please email us at miss.sacramento.county2.0@gmail.com
Judy Niederloh – Miss Sacramento 1955
Judy Niederloh graduated from El Camino High School in 1955. If you have any additional information on Ms. Niederloh, please email us miss.sacramento.county2.0@gmail.com
Joan Beckett – Miss Sacramento 1956, Miss California 1956, Top 10 at Miss America 1956, Preliminary Swimsuit Award at Miss America
If you have any additional information on Ms. Beckett, please email us miss.sacramento.county2.0@gmail.com
Lorna Anderson – Miss Sacramento 1957, Miss California 1957, 3rd Runner-Up at Miss America 1957
Lorna Anderson (known today as Lorna Brown) has played the accordion since the age of nine. The daughter of Swedish immigrants, her talent at the Miss America Pageant was “Dark Eyes” on the accordion. Always performing as a soloist, Lorna is now refreshed to be playing with a live professional band, The Polka Dots, enjoying the authentic polkas and waltzes of the early to mid-1900’s. Lorna has appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show and was selected in 1957 as the “Fighting Lady” for the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown- where she played the accordion for 3,000 men. Lorna is a retired educator with 18 years in the San Juan Unified School District in Sacramento, and 4 years with the Leonia and Saddle River School Districts in New Jersey. She also retired from real estate after 10 years as a real estate broker, specializing in exclusive golf resort properties in Pinehurst, North Carolina. She now resides in Salisbury, N.C. View Lorna’s website at www.polkadotsband.com
Credits: salisburyartists.org, polkadotsband.com, csus.edu
Sandra Soliday – Miss Sacramento 1958
Sandy Soliday, 41, has been running her own diamond brokerage the past three years. It’s a profession she prefers to the acting career she once pursued. “It didn’t take too long to find out acting wasn’t what I wanted to do,” she says. “I wasn’t cut out for it. It takes a certain kind of personality that I just didn’t have.” Now Sandy Staines, she went to Sacramento State College, where she majored in drama and art. She graduated in 1964, modeled for a couple of years and then simply grew bored with it. “Modeling was a good experience, though,” Staines said, “and so was being Miss Sacramento. It is something that would give any girl a great deal of confidence. it puts you in a position where you have to exude confidence even if you’re not. Eventually you become confident.” After teaching art for a few years, Staines began buying and selling diamonds. Then she started her business, Diamond Finders, in Carmichael. She is married to building designer Bill Staines and has two children.
(An excerpt from The Sacramento Bee, 1982)
Patricia Ann Williams – Miss Sacramento 1959
Time Magazine reported that she was the first African American to ever wear the local crown.
She was 18 at the time she was crowned and a secretarial student who sang “Lover Come Back to Me” At the local competition. In the Time Magazine article, it says that she went “numb” with astonishment upon hearing herself acclaimed the winner.
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