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OUR STAFF
Krystle Ramos, Teen Director, MWSO Director of Marketing
Krystle was raised in Grays Harbor and lived in Nashville for 20 years before returning to Washington in 2017.
She is an accomplished singer and performer and while in Nashville, toured with Lyle Lovett and other country and pop artists as a backup vocalist as well as performing as a solo artist. She was nominated for R&B Performance of the Year at the Southern Entertainment Awards and won a Nashville Industry Music Award for Best Live R&B Performance. She also owned a vintage clothing and accessories boutique in Nashville that had many celebrity clients. Additionally, she pursued a career in product development, marketing and sales in healthcare and then payments technology. Currently she is the Senior Director for Strategic Markets at Elavon, a division of U.S. Bank.
She and her husband have been together for 20 years and have 4 daughters and 2 granddaughters. Krystle has been actively involved in the Miss America Organization for 15 years, as a local titleholder, a Teen and Miss judge in TN and WA, a local board member and a parent of a Teen titleholder. She is excited to help create #onemisswashington as the organization moves forward together.
Megan Leibold Blum, Assistant Director
Megan Blum is a graduate of Pacific Lutheran University with a Bachelor’s Degree in vocal Performance. She has held the titles of Miss West Sod and Miss Pierce County through the Miss America Organization and has compet-ed on the Miss Washington stage twice. In those two years, she received the Preliminary Talent Award, and placed 2nd runner up to the title of Miss Wash-ington in 2014. Megan has been a full time Real Estate Agent for five years now and has been with FLUX Real estate for the last 4 ½ years. She currently resides in Des Moines WA with her husband of three years, Kevin, their 2 year old daughter, Blake, and 4 month old son, Ryland. For the past 7 years she has been an avid volunteer for the MWATeen Program and is honored to be the Assistant Director.
Merrick is a life-long Washington resident and lover of the Miss America Organization. She grew up backstage at Miss Tri-Cities, where her mom was a board member. She competed at the local level and after graduating the program (that sounds a lot nicer than getting too old, right?) decided to give back to the program that helped form who she is as a confident woman. Merrick has been a ladies director, judge, sponsor and coach to participants of all ages. This year, she is taking on the new responsibility of putting her graphic design skills to work by designing the Miss WA & Miss program books! She and her husband moved from Central to Western Washington with their three fur children in 2016. She is active in her church, loves to spend time in her happy place (Disneyworld) and is launching a Doula business this spring. Her and her husband recently welcomed their first child, Matthew in 2021.
Merrick Kingman, Producer
Mike Miller, Judges Chair
Mike started his pageant career as an usher with the Pierce County Program and then moved into the Executive Director Position in 2002. In 2004 Mike took on the position of Field Director for the Miss Washington Program. Mike has been the Judges chair of the Miss Washington's Outstanding Teen Program for the past 12 years and has been a volunteer with the MWAOTeen program since it started 14 years ago. Mike is also the Secretary of the State Board. Mike is married to Peggy Miller, they just celebrated their 43rd Wedding Anniversary, Mike has two children and four grandchildren. Mike loves to do yard work and ride his tractor around their property. Mike is an avid Mariner and Seahawk fan, he loves his sports. Mike currently works as a substitute teacher in the Puyallup School District and is a Drivers Education Teacher. Prior to that, Mike spent 30 years as a Police Officer in Tacoma Washington where he retired in 2010.
Debra May, Co-Judges Chair
Debra May grew up in northern Idaho, but since graduating from college has called the Puget Sound area home. Debra has a 30+ year career in communications and marketing. Her work spans numerous industries including education, law, consulting, politics, and healthcare. Debra was catapulted into the Miss America organization after the family moved from Seattle to Vancouver in 2017 and her daughter was encouraged by a new friend in high school to compete in the local competition that next year. Her daughter, Payton May, won that competition, her first, and fast forward 16 months later was named Miss America’s Outstanding Teen 2020-2021. She is thrilled for the opportunity to give back and be of service in supporting a scholarship organization that has significantly impacted her daughter’s life and whose mission is to prepare great women for the world and prepare the world for great women. Debra is currently a Sr. Communications & Marketing Director for PeaceHealth, a three-state health system headquartered in Vancouver. Debra is married to Tom. They’ve recently adopted a dog and they are adjusting to being empty nesters with Payton off to college.
Mari Wallingford, Pinecone Princess Coordinator
Mari has been involved in the Miss Washington's Teen program for many years, as a parent, volunteer and Princess Coordinator. She is an amazing and creative individual who makes sure our Princess participants enjoy every second of their Miss America experience!
Ginny Gronwoldt, Teen Ambassador Coordinator
Ginny began her involvement with pageants as a contestant in the 1994 Miss Teen of Oregon pageant and later as the parent of a Princess. After 6 years of participating, Ginny’s daughter Brooklynn outgrew her participation as a Princess so after hearing about the plans to implement a Teen Ambassador program for Brooklynn’s age group, Ginny jumped at the opportunity to volunteer and is now serving as the Teen Ambassador Coordinator. Ginny lives in Vancouver, WA with her 3 children, Ayden, Brooklynn and Julian, Bandit the family dog and Brooklynn’s fish, Blue Ivy. She has volunteered for various nonprofit development committees and enjoys planning events and coordinating activities. She works as a business lender for a local credit union and serves as an elected school board director. Ginny is passionate about youth, education and building strong communities.
Chloe Furnstahl, Choreographer
Who better than to choreograph our competition than a nationally awarded competitive dancer! Our very own Miss Washington's Outstanding Teen 2021 is well versed in all styles of dance including ballet, pointe, lyrical, jazz, ballroom, contemporary, hip hop, and musical theater!
Chloe is currently a featured member of Dancers Across America in the Showstopper magazine. She is a Pro-Reveler with the Revel Dance Competition and Convention and has won countless scholarships and awards nationally.
Peggy Miller, Executive Director of Miss Washington & Teen Advisor
Peggy Miller began her involvement with the Miss America system as a sponsor for a local program in 2000. She continued her involvement at the local level until she was asked to move to the state program in 2002, where her desire grew to help others succeed in their endeavors with the Miss Washington Scholarship Organization. She became the Executive Director of the MWSO in 2007 and has since continued to build on the foundation laid by those that have gone before her taking the MWSO to new heights.
Washington's representatives have been very successful at Miss America for several years thanks to the Washington State Pageant Family! Peggy is a Washington native, and is happily married to her husband Mike. They have two married children, and love spending time with their grandkids and family. Her motto for the MWSO comes from Russell Wilson, "Why Not Us!"
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Sarah Aanderud Wahlen, Vice President, MWSO Board of Directors
Sarah Aanderud Wahlen is the current Director of Theatre & Film at Holy Names Academy in Seattle. She studied Music Performance at Gonzaga, holds a BA in Philosophy from the UW, and an MDIV from Seattle University. She has been involved with the Miss America Organization for over twenty years and is the Executive Board Vice-President, as well Production Consultant for the Washington State and Local programs.
As Executive Producer of MWSO for over a decade, she won Best Production at The Global Beauty Awards for her 2018 show. Sarah worked for KIRO-TV in Seattle for many years and is an Emmy-nominated journalist who continues to do freelance work in the area. She resides on Vashon Island with her husband, operating a small working farm, complete with chickens, lavender & bees. In her spare time, Sarah loves to play classical clarinet, be an aspiring chef, tap dance, read and travel.
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