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Who we are
For over 90 years, New York has had a state representative at the annual Miss America Competition—the historic program that started in Atlantic City in 1921 as a beauty pageant. Today, it is much more than a pageant. Miss America candidates working towards college or postgraduate degrees can earn scholarship awards to help further their education through the Miss America Foundation.
The Miss New York Scholarship Organization is an official state franchise of Miss America and holds an annual competition to select a state titleholder between the age of 18-28 who will work for one year to advance the mission of the Miss New York Organization, while also promoting her own personal charitable platform. The selection criteria include academic records, community service, public speaking ability, performing arts skill during a live talent performance, and live interviews. The woman who is selected to represent the State of New York advances to compete in the Miss America Competition. Additionally, one teen candidate between the age of 13-17 is selected to represent New York at Miss America’s Teen Competition.
The young women who participate in the program at the state and local level are leaders in their respective communities, high schools, colleges, or universities. The participants raise funds for 501(c)(3) organizations such as the Make a Wish Foundation, the American Cancer Society, local Humane Societies, and many more. They attend events as keynote speakers at corporate events, in school classrooms, and at charity fundraisers, and volunteer their time at nursing homes, shelters, and in youth programs.
The organization consists of a board of directors whom are all unpaid volunteers and whose mission is to provide career-readiness and leadership education for young women from the State of New York through educational programming, mentorship opportunities, and other annual events.
Meet the State Team
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Sloane Lewis
Executive Director
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Bailey Catan
Teen Director
MNY Board President -
Ashley Whitebirch
Assistant Director
MNY Board Treasurer -
Claire Adkisson
Director of Alumnae Outreach
MNY Board Chair -
Anna Laura Strider
Director of Fundraising
Executive Producer
MNY Board Member -
Jacob Dixon
Director of State Week Coordination
MNY Board Member -
Taisha St Jean Tard
Director of Operations & Funding
MNY Board Member -
Megan Stier
Director of State Contestants
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John Giglio
Panelist Chair
MNY Board Vice President -
Willa Hahn
Director of Scholarships
MNY Board Secretary -
Eileen Simoniello
Director of Chaperones
MNY Board Member -
Tasha Cucinelli
Director of Empire Stars
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Fatima Maqboul
Assistant Producer
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Angela Simoniello
Assistant Producer
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Ro-Z Edelston
Production Team
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Tom Dwyer
Production Team
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Kyanna Sabanoglu
Booking Manager
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Dale Noelle Weil
MNY Board Member
volunteer
We are always searching for local leaders who see the benefits of this organization and the potential in young women in their area. Local Directors hold their own local competition and crown winners to represent their communities at the State Competition. If you would like to start your own local competition you can apply for a local franchise. If you want to help on the local level but don’t know where to start, you can apply here!
Local Volunteers
The Miss New York Organization needs volunteers for year-round and State-Week positions. We are looking for people with experience or familiarity with the Miss America Opportunity who are able to work both behind the scenes and in the public eye. Many of the State-Week roles (lobby assistance, chaperone, etc) do not require years of experience with the organization – only a familiarity with the program and a compassionate approach to working with others.
State Volunteers
Our local programs need qualified panelists to select the representatives for their respective programs. If you believe you have a discerning eye for talent, intelligence, and community activism then volunteer to judge one of our local competitions. Panelists for a local organization must not be affiliated with a local New York contestant or New York Local organization in any way and are subject to approval by the State organization.
Judges Panel
Contact us
Do you have questions for our team?
Send us an email!