A PROMINENT PANEL of judges is carefully selected from both inside and outside the community in order to carefully evaluate the field of delegates who represent the best qualities for their very important public relations positions. The delegates are evaluated by the judges on:

- personality and charm
- civic awareness
- poise and beauty
- first impression
- and an interest in assisting with the ongoing promotion of Long Beach, Southern California, and the Community Action Team (C.A.T.) through public appearances.

2020 JUDGES:

2017 TEEN/MISS/MS./MRS. JUDGES:
(will be announced during the pageant)

2016 TEEN/MISS/MRS. JUDGES:

Mary Zendejas, Ms. Wheelchair California 2012
Mary received her B.A. Degree at California State University, Long Beach, where she is currently working as the Director for Project BRIDGE -- a mentoring program for students with disabilities. She is founder of the Professional Abilities Association of America, which focuses on business professionals with disabilities. In 2012 Mary was crowned Ms. Wheelchair California and then placed 3rd runner-up at the 2013 nationals.

Danny Lowenthal, Superior Court Judge
Danny Lowenthal grew up in Long Beach, studied psychology at UC Santa Barbara, and attended law school at Cornell University. After serving as a prosecutor and employment litigator, he became a Superior Court Judge in 2007. Danny presides over a felony courtroom at the George Deukmejian Courthouse in Long Beach. He lives in Park Estates with his son, Avi, and Beagle, Ace.

Ralph Millero, FOX Animation
Ralph is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University and currently the Senior Vice President of 20th Century Fox Animation.  He has worked on “Cold Mountain” with Anthony Minghella, “The Interpreter” with Sydney Pollack, “Fantastic Mr. Fox” with Wes Anderson and “The Peanuts Movie” with Blue Sky Studios.  He is a board member of the Community Action Team (CAT), the nonprofit that hosts this pageant.  

2016 LITTLE MISS JUDGES:

Regina Cash, Mrs. Long Beach 2015
She was Mrs. Long Beach 2015 and is happily married with three beautiful daughters and four rambunctious rescue puppies.  Regina has an undergraduate degree in Human Services, a graduate degree in Negotiation, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding and is currently in a doctoral program.  Regina works for CSULB and is a very active volunteer who loves being of service to causes that positively impact the lives of people, animals and the community. She also enjoys juggling her time in the entertainment industry and is represented by Wilhelmina Model Management and NTA Talent Agency.

Christine Robbins, Mrs. Southern California Cities 2015
She is a native of the Long Beach area and active in community volunteer projects -- donating more than 1,000 hours a year to various causes in the area. She has been a volunteer with the Community Action Team for more than four years and served as Mrs. Southern California Cities in 2015.  Christine currently works at Molina Healthcare in the office of the CFO, as a Civic Engagement lead advocate.

2015 TEEN/MISS/MRS. JUDGES:

Monica Samreth Salinas, Miss Long Beach 2013
She is the first Cambodian-American to hold the Miss Long Beach title. Born and raised in Long Beach, Monica was inspired to serve the city through numerous community engagement projects that serve at-risk, underserved youth, human trafficking victims and the greater Cambodian community who were displaced after the Cambodian Genocide. Monica served on the Board for Rotaract Long Beach, “I Am S.H.A.N.T.E”, United Cambodian Community, and was an active member with Gems Uncovered. Through her work, Monica received numerous recognition and awards including, Long Beach Post’s 30 Women to Watch, Long Beach Police Department Community Activism Award, and California State Assembly 30 Under 30. Monica now lives in Dallas, Texas, where she is the Global Operations Manager for 7-Eleven Corporation, and travels to eleven different countries. She will graduate with her Executive Masters in Business from SMU in May 2016.

Susie Castillo & Shandi Finnessey, Miss USA 2003 & 2004
Susie Castillo and Shandi Finnessey are both published authors, models, actors, public speakers and have hosted numerous shows on network television.

After her year as Miss USA 2003, Susie passed on the crown and legacy to Shandi, Miss USA 2004. Little did they know that that moment would be the start of what would prove to be a long and deep friendship.

Their exciting years as Miss USA found them traveling all over the world in support of our service men and women and working as spokespersons for breast and ovarian cancer research and awareness. Together, they helped raise more than $60 million for organizations like the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, Susan G. Komen and Gilda’s Club. They fondly share Miss USA memories like being in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, living in the titleholder apartment in NYC, and of course, representing the U.S.A. in the Miss Universe Pageant where Susie placed in the Top 15 in 2003 and Shandi finished as 1st runner-up in 2004.

Susie and Shandi co-founded the company Pageantology and together teach young women the tips and tricks needed for pageant success through private coaching sessions and their national empowerment. For the first time in pageant history, two former Miss USA's have joined forces and are offering their pageant and entertainment industry expertise to young women who are ready to take their pageant preparations to the next level. In addition to guiding many young women to win their state titles, Susie and Shandi’s unique pageant coaching has lead the past three Miss Teen USA’s, Cassidy Wolf, K. Lee Graham and Katherine Haik, as well as our reigning Miss USA, Olivia Jordan, to their national titles!

Susie and Shandi currently reside in Los Angeles with their husbands. For more info, check out www.Pageantology.com

2015 LITTLE MISS JUDGES:

Rebekah Vitale, Mrs. Long Beach 2012
Rebekah is a flight attendant for American Airlines and is the regional director for the Airline Ambassador program. Airline Ambassadors International (AAI) helps orphans and vulnerable children worldwide by leveraging connections with the airline industry towards humanitarian service and escorting children for life changing medical care. They hand deliver humanitarian aid to children in orphanages, clinics and remote communities, and advocate and educate on child protection and human trafficking awareness.

Kristin Bopp, Miss Long Beach 2012
With a love for travel, Kristin Bopp is a flight attendant for American Airlines. She received her bachelor of science degree in Kinesiology from Cal State Fullerton and is currently working on getting her nutrition certification. Staying active is a big part of Kristin's life, she played soccer throughout college and has run numerous marathons and half marathons.

2014 TEEN/MISS/MRS. JUDGES:

Rachel Oblon, Miss Southern California Cities 2013
She is the Missional Life Pastor at Parkcrest Christian Church overseeing the church's partnerships in the city and around the world. She is finishing her Master's Degree at Fuller Theological Seminary in Global Leadership and in three weeks she is getting married to her best friend, Stephen Grindle.


Elisa Sabes, Miss Long Beach 2010
Elisa was selected as an honoree at the inaugural “30 Under 30” event and has been recognized for her achievements by the American Business Women’s Association, the Long Beach Commercial Real Estate Council, and the American Heart Association. Elisa is currently the Business Development Manager at Executives Unlimited, a retained executive search firm, headquartered in Long Beach.


Monique Villa, Miss Long Beach 2011
Monique Villa was Miss Long Beach 2011 and placed top-20 at Miss California USA 2012. She is currently a program manager at NFTE Greater LA, a 501(c)(3) inspiring young people from low-income communities to find their paths to success. Monique was named “30 Under 30” in 2011 by the California State Assembly for her work in the community. She is engaged to be married in June, 2015. In her spare time she enjoys concerts, classic films, and cultural events around Los Angeles.



2014 LITTLE MISS JUDGES:

Emily Silver, Miss Long Beach 2014
Emily is a full-time college student studying psychology at California State University Dominguez Hills with ambitions to receive a single and multiple subject teaching credential. From "glitz" to Miss California USA, Emily has competed in pageants her whole life and has a part time business of pageant coaching and lifestyle training called Beyond the Crown. In the future she aspires to be a full time teacher and own a private business as a lifestyle and pageant coach. Emily currently resides in Belmont Shore with her adopted cat Teenie.

Kim Cloughesy, Mrs. Long Beach 2013 and Mrs. Southern California Cities 2014
Mrs. Cloughesy’s passion is animal rescue and advocacy. She actively speaks on behalf Best Friends Animal Society, Marley’s Mutts Dog Rescue and Downtown Dog Rescue. All three of these amazing organizations focus on the importance of the human-animal bond and that all living things have intrinsic value. Kym and her husband Phil, a Lieutenant for the Long Beach Police Department, are the proud parents of four adult children and six rescued canines. She spent 15 years as a member of the Long Beach Police Department and now works with the Arts Council for Long Beach promoting the importance of the Arts.

Brina Romero-Montano, Mrs. Long Beach 2014
As a graduate of CSULB and CSUDH with degrees in Criminal Justice, Sociology, and Education in Multiculturalism, Brina competed in her first pageant winning the Mrs. Long Beach 2014 title. An alumni of Leadership Long Beach awarded most impactful alumni and Press-Telegram Amazing Woman Finalist, she strives daily to make a difference in her community and others. Serving as a board member for Red Shoe Society and Leadership Long Beach her passion is with the youth. Brina sets out each day to make a positive difference living by her motto, Be The Change You Wish To See!

2013 TEEN/MISS/MRS. JUDGES:

Rebekah Keller-Negrete, Mrs. International 2007
Rebekah earned a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies, Elementary Education (Cum Laude). She is a distinguished alumna at both Long Beach City College and Azusa Pacific University. Rebekah is a founding member of Halogen Christian Church in Norwalk as well as the worship leader. She currently works as a co-director of The Martine Cotillions, the premier cotillion on the West coast, where she teaches ballroom dancing and etiquette to young children. Rebekah is honored to be back at the Miss Long Beach pageant where she won the title in 1994. Rebekah went on to becoming Miss California 1997 and 4th runner-up to Miss America. She was Miss California USA 2000 and competed at the Miss USA pageant. Most recently, Rebekah won the title of Mrs. International 2007 where she leveraged her position to champion foster adoption awareness through the Heart Gallery of America. She and her husband Greg reside in Lakewood. They have adopted two little girls after fostering them for nearly 2 1/2 years. For more information on what you can do to impact the life of a foster child please visit: www.heartgalleryofamerica.org


Andrea Preuss, Mrs. America 2006
Andrea views her life as a trilogy of family, marriage, and community service.  She is creative with over 15 years of classical ballet training, 10 years of jazz/tap and 8 years of gymnastics.  One of her most exciting experiences was traveling to over 50 countries as a professional entertainer on the World Cruise aboard the QE-2.  Andrea is no stranger to pageantry having been a top 10 finalist in Miss Teen USA, International Cinderella Teen, Miss Virginia America, Mrs. United States 2003, and Mrs. America 2006.  She also traveled to St. Petersburg, Russia where she placed in the top 10 at Mrs. World.  After losing her mother-in-law to cancer, she and her daughter helped raise millions of dollars for cancer.  Andrea was a national spokesperson for the Susan G. Komen Foundation, a national spokesperson for the American Anthem Project, an advocate for children with cancer, served on the Board of Directors for the Foundation House and previously co-hosted a weekly radio show entitled “An Hour of Giving” that educated others on how they can make a difference through volunteering. Andrea attended Virginia Tech with degrees in Political Science and English with a minor in Dance. She has her MBA from Pepperdine University and is the West Area Director of Reimbursement for a biologic pharmaceutical company.  In her spare time, you can find her at the beach getting beat by her 14 year old daughter, Savannah Belle in beach volleyball or cheering on her 12 year old son, Wil, who is an All-Star football player.  Plus her secret wish is to be on Cupcake Wars.  She and her husband Bill have been married for 16 years and reside in Huntington Beach, CA.


Ryan Choura, CEO of Choura Events
Ryan is the owner of Choura Events, a 4th generation full-service event company in Long Beach.  Under Ryan’s leadership Choura has grown from not only a catering company, but to a full line of tenting, staging, lighting and now custom event furniture line. Currently Choura employees over 200 event professionals and in 2010 Choura completed over 4,000 events including the Golden Globes, Electric Daisy Carnival , Grammys after-parties and recently the Taste of Beverly Hills.  Ryan believes that life is more than your title, therefore counts the following areas as some of his largest areas of success.  He has been married for 14 years to his wife Audrey.  They have two kids.  He also serves on the BIOLA Alumni board and the Long Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau board.



2013 LITTLE MISS JUDGES:

Christy Van Der Westhuizen, Mrs. California United States 2011
is an 18-year veteran of pageants, most notably as Mrs. California United States 2011, and that year, placed as a Top 12 finalist at the Mrs. United States Pageant in Las Vegas. Christy has also held many local titles, including Miss Lakewood Teen 1998, Miss Seal Beach 2000, Miss Greater Long Beach 2004 (MAO), Miss Long Beach 2006 and Mrs. Long Beach 2010. As a summa cum laude graduate of Chapman University, Christy earned a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism and a minor in public relations. After graduating in 2004, she worked for Holland America Cruise Line as a social host/cruise director, where she met her husband, Renier. Currently, Christy is the marketing director at Mission Hills at Rancho Mirage, a senior living community in the desert, and she helps seniors and their loved ones on a daily basis. She is passionate about "Bringing Smiles to Seniors" and is active with the Alzheimer's Association. Christy resides with her husband in Palm Desert, CA, and enjoys playing with her three cocker spaniels.

Shana Smith, Mrs. California International 2013
Shana Smith has been in the pageant industry for over 20 years as both a contestant and a judge.  Most recently she held the title of Mrs. California International 2013 and the California Army Spouse of the Year 2013.  Mrs. Smith actively promotes the Got Your Back Network, the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors and her platform Returning the Salute to families of our fallen service members.  Staying true to her belief that community service is imperative to a sense of community she has been awarded both the California Governors Awards and Presidential Awards for Community Service.
Shana and her husband Grant, an Army Sergeant First Class, are the proud parents of a 9-year-old daughter. As a stay at home mom Shana loves spending her time with family.  Her hobbies include being a soccer mom working out and scrapbooking.  Shana and her family reside in the lovely city of Orange.

2012 TEEN/MISS/MRS. JUDGES:

Rebekah Keller-Negrete, Mrs. International 2007
Rebekah earned a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies, Elementary Education (Cum Laude). She is a distinguished alumna at both Long Beach City College and Azusa Pacific University. Rebekah is a founding member of Halogen Christian Church in Norwalk as well as the worship leader. She currently works as a co-director of The Martine Cotillions, the premier cotillion on the West coast, where she teaches ballroom dancing and etiquette to young children. Rebekah is honored to be back at the Miss Long Beach pageant where she won the title in 1994. Rebekah went on to becoming Miss California 1997 and 4th runner-up to Miss America. She was Miss California USA 2000 and competed at the Miss USA pageant. Most recently, Rebekah won the title of Mrs. International 2007 where she leveraged her position to champion foster adoption awareness through the Heart Gallery of America. She and her husband Greg reside in Lakewood. They have adopted two little girls after fostering them for nearly 2 1/2 years and are currently fostering a baby girl. For more information on what you can do to impact the life of a foster child please visit: www.heartgalleryofamerica.org

Ralph Millero, FOX Animation
Ralph is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University and is a Hollywood executive.  He has worked on the films Cold Mountain with Anthony Minghella; Michael Clayton with Sydney Pollack; and Fantastic Mr. Fox with Wes Anderson.  Currently he is Director of Production at 20th Century Fox and Blue Sky Studios and is overseeing Charles Schulz's PEANUTS feature animated film which is scheduled for a release in November, 2015. He is a proud board member of the Community Action Team (CAT), the nonprofit of which these pageants are a part. A few of the 60+ other annual CAT events/projects include the Long Beach Turkey Trot, Haute Dog Howl'oween Parade and the National Adult Spelling Bee.

Sharon Tay, KCBS
Sharon is an award-winning television news journalist. She joined CBS2 & KCAL9 in 2007 as a general assignment reporter. Soon after she began anchoring the weekend news on CBS2 and KCAL9. In April of 2010, Tay was named the primary Co-Anchor for KCAL9 News at 8pm and 10pm on weeknights. Born in Singapore and raised in Connecticut, Sharon has a Bachelor of Science degree in Broadcast Journalism and a minor in International Relations from Boston University. Sharon grew up traveling worldwide and continues to do so.  She currently lives in the Hollywood area with her Chocolate Lab, Hudson.

2012 LITTLE MISS JUDGES:

Misty York-Elsasser, Miss Long Beach 1996; and Ayden James
Misty, Miss Long Beach 1996, is a mother of three young children now residing in south Orange County. She is a member of many charitable organizations, one being The Tinkerbell Guild, which is near and dear to her heart as they raise money for Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC). Misty and her husband, Gary, are advocates for pediatric cancer as several friends and now their son, Ayden, have been diagnosed with this disease.

Ayden, a 7-year-old attending 2nd grade at Rancho Viejo Montessori in Rancho Santa Margarita, was recently diagnosed with a Malignant Medulloblastoma Brain Tumor in March, 2012, just 9 days after his birthday. He is still undergoing treatment at CHOC. He loves sports, playing with his friends and spending time with his sisters. He can't wait to start swimming again, getting back to Tang Soo Do classes. He wants to obtain his Black Belt and hopes to be a Rock Star someday! 

Laura Goglia, Miss Long Beach 1992
Laura has a B.A. in Communications and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing - both from CSULB. She is a full-time Technical Editor for Epson and a full-time tiny human chauffeur and chef. In her spare time, she is a part-time mommy blogger ("It's Not Lying, It's Parenting"), and a freelance contributor to workingmother.com. She serves on the St. Cornelius Catholic School Parent Board and is a fund-raising organizer. She was Miss L.A. County 1991 and Miss Long Beach 1992.

2011 TEEN/MISS/MRS. JUDGES

Danny Lowenthal, Superior Court Judge
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Danny Lowenthal is the son of longtime Long beach community activists, Assemblywoman Bonnie Lowenthal and State Senator Alan Lowenthal. He was raised in Long Beach, studied psychology at UC Santa Barbara and attended law school at Cornell University. After law school he worked as a prosecutor for the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office and then managed the group of lawyers who defended the City against allegations of bias in the workplace. He tried to head off lawsuits by sensitizing management to what was, and was not, acceptable workplace behavior. As a lawyer, Lowenthal was a longtime volunteer with First Impressions, a project that reached out to fourth and fifth graders in the most underprivileged communities in Los Angeles to increase their understanding of the legal profession and teach nonviolent methods of conflict resolution. He also volunteered for many years in Long Beach as a commissioner on the Citizens’ Police Complaint Commission, adjudicating citizen complaints of brutality and wrongdoing against members of the police department. In 2006 he was elected to a judgeship on the Los Angeles Superior Court. He currently presides over a criminal courtroom at the Downey courthouse. He avoids using a one-size-fits-all style of justice, and instead attempts to tailor sentences to the individual needs of the parties. He lives in Long Beach with his 9-year-old son, Avi.

Carole White Breithaupt, Miss Long Beach 1950
A Wilson  High School graduate became the first Miss Long Beach in May of 1950.   Carole was a stewardess for American Airlines and later joined MATS (Seaboard Western) bringing home wounded from the Korean War.  Obtaining her Real Estate license, she co-founded/co-owned JTM Brokerage for 25 years.  She has authored a book, “Legacy of a North Dakota Pioneer – Six Generations and 138 Years.”   In 2007, at the age of 78, Carole completed her education and received her Junior College teaching credential in Business.   She is the mother of three and grandmother of twelve.

Andrea Preuss, Mrs. America 2006
Andrea views her life as a trilogy of family, marriage, and community service.  She is creative with over 15 years of classical ballet training, 10 years of jazz/tap and 8 years of gymnastics.  One of her most exciting experiences was traveling to over 50 countries as a professional entertainer on the World Cruise aboard the QE-2.  Andrea is no stranger to pageantry having been a top 10 finalist in Miss Teen USA, International Cinderella Teen, Miss Virginia America, Mrs. United States 2003, and Mrs. America 2006.  She also traveled to St. Petersburg, Russia where she placed in the top 10 at Mrs. World.  After losing her mother-in-law to cancer, she and her daughter helped raise millions of dollars for cancer.  Andrea was a national spokesperson for the Susan G. Komen Foundation, a national spokesperson for the American Anthem Project, an advocate for children with cancer, serves on the Board of Directors for the Foundation House and previously co-hosted a weekly radio show entitled “An Hour of Giving” that educated others on how they can make a difference through volunteering. She has her MBA from Pepperdine University and is the West Area Director of Reimbursement for a biologic pharmaceutical company.  She and her husband Bill have been married for 15 years and reside in Huntington Beach, with their children, Savannah Belle (13), and Wil (11).

Ryan Choura, CEO of Choura Events
Ryan is the owner of Choura Events, a 4th generation full-service event company in Long Beach.  Under Ryan’s leadership Choura has grown from not only a catering company, but to a full line of tenting, staging, lighting and now custom event furniture line. Currently Choura employees over 200 event professionals and in 2010 Choura completed over 4,000 events including the Golden Globes, Electric Daisy Carnival , Grammys after-parties and recently the Taste of Beverly Hills.  Ryan believes that life is more than your title, therefore counts the following areas as some of his largest areas of success.  He has been married for 12 years to his wife Audrey.  They have two kids.  He also serves on the BIOLA Alumni board and the Long Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau board.

Raquel Beezley, Miss Calif. USA 2008
Raquel won the prestigious title of Miss California USA in 2008. She is a young entrepreneur who successfully launched her first business at the age of 23. She has been affiliated with Pageantry for over 13 years. She is Owner  and Elite Image Consultant at The Pageant Wave and Co-Founder of the non-profit Give Love Back. She is passionate about pageantry and is committed to seeing that it is a positive, self-developmental opportunity to all the women who compete in it.

THIS YEAR'S (2011) LITTLE MISS JUDGES

Elisa Sabes, Miss Long Beach 2010
Elisa graduated California State University, Long Beach in Spring 2009 with honors and a B.S. in Finance, Real Estate and Law. Throughout college, Elisa was a member of the nationally ranked cheerleading squad and active in the Financial Management Association and Corporate Mentoring Program in the College of Business. Seeking ways to network and further involve herself with the community, Elisa ran and became Miss Long Beach 2010. She is an active volunteer with the Community Action Team and the American Heart Association. Most recently, Elisa was selected as an honoree at the inaugural “30 Under 30” event, honoring 30 outstanding women under the age of 30 working to improve the community. In her free time she enjoys yoga, spending time with friends, and taking her Maltipoo "Bentlee" to Rosie's Dog Beach in Belmont Shore.

Mary Maldonado, Miss Southern California 2010
Mary is a student at UCLA with ambitions to pursue a career in medicine. She has over five years of experience teaching and caring for children. Currently, she works as a support teacher at The Growing Place Preschool in Santa Monica. Mary has held the title of Miss Teen Long Beach 2005 and went on to Miss Teen California International where she placed first runner-up. She competed in Miss California International at the age of 18 and became the youngest woman to ever win the title. In 2010, she came back to the Long Beach Pageants and had the privilege of becoming the very first Miss Southern California! Mary is honored to be judging for a pageant that promotes community service, character building, and communication skills. 

Christy Van Der Westhuizen, Mrs. California United States 2011
Christy is a 17-year veteran of pageants, most notably as the reigning Mrs. California United States 2011, and this summer, placed as a Top 12 finalist at the Mrs. United States in Las Vegas. Christy has also held many local titles, including most notably Miss Long Beach 2006 and Mrs. Long Beach 2010. As a summa cum laude graduate of Chapman University, Christy earned a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism and a minor in public relations. After graduating in 2004, she worked for Holland America Cruise Line as a social host/cruise director, where she met her husband, Renier. Currently, Christy is a community marketing director at Whittier Place Senior Living, where she helps seniors and their loved ones on a daily basis. She is passionate about "Serving Our Seniors" and volunteers with the Alzheimer's Association as well as serves as a "Senior Angel." Christy resides in Lakewood, CA and enjoys morning boot camp, karaoke, and running.

2010 JUDGES

Susie Castillo, Miss USA 2003
Actress and television personality Susie Castillo can currently be seen co-hosting NBC’s new reality series "SCHOOL PRIDE" (airs Fridays at 8 p.m. on NBC), where she empowers communities to renovate their run down public schools.  Susie's poise in front of the camera has led to many other high-profile hosting gigs, including MTV's TRL and Real World Reunion specials, Arthur Ashe Kids Day on CBS and the live telecast of the Miss Teen USA pageant. As an actor, Susie most notably portrayed Mercedes Hernandez on Tyler Perry’s hit sitcom, “House of Payne." She made her feature film debut in Disney's live-action comedy hit, "Underdog," playing the role of News Reporter Diana Flores. Susie has also guest-starred on several TV shows, including ABC's "My Wife and Kids" and UPN’s "Half and Half", just wrapped on her first indie film, "More Than Stars", and is scheduled to star in a horror film in the spring of 2011.  Susie’s fresh look landed her a deal as a Neutrogena spokesperson, joining fellow Neutrogena beauties Jennifer Garner, Diane Lane, Vanessa Hudgens and Hayden Panettiere. In 2007, she published her first book “Confidence is Queen: The Four Keys to Ultimate Beauty through Positive Thinking.” In 2003, this Puerto Rican and Dominican beauty became the third Latina ever to win the Miss USA® Pageant, prompting People en Español to name her one of the "25 Most Beautiful," and launching her career in entertainment. With a strong presence and personality, Susie quickly emerged as one of television’s most recognizable faces and was named on Maxim’s "Hot 100 List" in 2008.   

Shandi Finnessey, Miss USA 2004
During one of the most watched Miss USA® competitions in years, Shandi Finnessey was crowned Miss USA® 2004 in the famed Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, before a live audience of 13 million viewers. She went on to become first-runner up to Miss Universe 2004 in Quito, Ecuador. After her year spent as Miss USA, Shandi moved to Hollywood, where she began her career as a TV host/personality. In addition to being on the fourth season of Dancing with the Stars and hosting GSNs nightly interactive game show Playmania for 19 months, Shandi has been a guest on numerous shows, including Larry King Live, Reality Chat, Red Eye, The Sean Hannity Show, The Today Show, Access Hollywood and Extra, to name a few. She can currently be seen hosting Lingo with Chuck Woolery on GSN. You can visit her website at www.shandi.info to find out more!

Andrea Preuss, Mrs. America 2006
Andrea views her life as a trilogy of family, marriage, and community service.  She is creative with over 15 years of classical ballet training, 10 years of jazz/tap and 8 years of gymnastics.  One of her most exciting experiences was traveling to over 50 countries as a professional entertainer on the World Cruise aboard the QE-2.  Andrea is no stranger to pageantry having been a top 10 finalist in Miss Teen USA, International Cinderella Teen, Miss Virginia America, Mrs. United States 2003, and Mrs. America 2006.  She also traveled to St. Petersburg, Russia where she placed in the top 10 at Mrs. World.  After losing her mother-in-law to cancer, she and her daughter helped raise millions of dollars for cancer.  Andrea was a national spokesperson for the Susan G. Komen Foundation, an advocate for children with cancer, serves on the Board of Directors for the Foundation House and previously co-hosted a weekly radio show entitled “An Hour of Giving” that educated others on how they can make a difference through volunteering. She has her MBA from Pepperdine University and is a Regional Director for a biologic pharmaceutical company.  Additionally she and her mother are the co-directors for the California Cinderella Pageant. She and her husband Bill have been married for 13 years and reside in Huntington Beach, with their 2 children; Savannah Belle (11), and Wil (9).

Ryan Choura, CEO of Choura Events
When Ryan Choura took over Choura Events in 2003, he knew two things; he wanted to expand the range of services the company offered, and he wanted to shake things up and bring fresh energy and ideas to the event industry. He began by breaking sales records at The Grand, Long Beach Event Center, and then in 2005 he beat out the top caterers in Southern California for the coveted catering contract at Cal State Long Beach. In 2007 Choura purchased the event rental/tent design company Anza, and followed with the purchase of Bixby Knolls Party Rentals in 2008. As of 2009 Ryan oversees eight event companies under the Choura Events umbrella with a combined staff of over 225 employees. He prides himself in his ability to spot and nurture the most talented people to ensure that both his employees and clients feel their value and importance. Ryan is an avid golfer, surfs, and is committed to community service, belonging to several local civic and non-profit organizations. A dynamic and talented speaker, Ryan gives motivational talks to local High School students on how to make smart decisions for their futures.

2009 JUDGES

2009 Judges: (L to R) Janice McQueen Ward, Ryan Choura, Justin Rudd (pageant director), Tamiko Nash

- Tamiko Nash, Miss CA USA 2006 and first runner-up to Miss USA 2006
- Janice McQueen Ward, Mrs. United States 1999
- Ryan Choura, Choura Events