Road to MISS UNIVERSE CANADA 2019!

**bonner** Mon Mar 25, 2019 4:51 am

MISS UNIVERSE CANADA 2019

**bonner** Mon Mar 25, 2019 4:51 am

**bonner** Mon Mar 25, 2019 4:52 am

Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray spoke with some of the Miss Universe Canada 2019 Delegates

Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray and Miss Universe Canada 2018 Marta Stepien, spoke with some of the Miss Universe Canada 2019 Delegates competing to be crowned the next Miss Universe Canada.

**Farah Vavaihan** Mon Mar 25, 2019 9:30 pm

Catriona Gray empowering Miss Universe CANADA delegates. First rehearsal March 24th.

Road to MISS UNIVERSE CANADA 2019! Fb_i7479

Road to MISS UNIVERSE CANADA 2019! Fb_i7480

**bonner** Fri Jul 05, 2019 12:13 am

Alysha Ortiz

Height: 5’7
Hometown: Calgary, AB
Languages: English, Hindi, Spanish
Occupation: Registered Nurse

Alysha Ortiz was born in Calgary, Alberta and currently lives in Chestermere, Alberta. She graduated from Mount Royal University with a Baccalaureate degree in Registered Nursing and additional studies in Arts and Business. She is presently working as a Registered Nurse at a local hospital. Her passion and drive to help others through health promotion and health care have her employed on a unit focused on medical and palliative care patients. She has worked closely with interdisciplinary teams in the healthcare field and continues to integrate holistic approaches to patient care. She works towards advocating on behalf of her patients and families. Her satisfaction of providing emotional support by merely holding hands of family members and patients experiencing tragedy and being of presence brings inner peace knowing everyday she is helping make a difference in somebody’s life. Palliative care nursing has engraved her with the mindset of “Life is too short, time is too precious, and the stakes are too high to dwell on what might have been” – H.C. Working with individuals in our society fighting for their lives and living with terminal illnesses makes understanding quality of life in high importance. She works towards making a meaningful difference to peoples’ lives when they are at their most vulnerable states.

Alysha is currently in pursuit of completing her Real Estate License, her avid motivation to strive to new successes and educate herself consecutively has inspired her to pursue additional career ambitions alongside her most rewarded career selection in healthcare.

As an avid humanitarian, Alysha continues to engage in volunteerism opportunities and currently works alongside a young adolescent in the community as a mentor. She has actively engaged herself in a variety of organizations stemming from educating, advocating, and participating with local charities. She actively seeks new challenges and opportunities through her desire to help others and bring change.

Alysha looks forward to bringing her confidence, determination, and passion to the Miss Universe Canada stage this year. Through her drive to make a change, and help others, she hopes to use this opportunity to shine light on a variety of issues happening in our country, and our world today. Most importantly she hopes that winning your hearts and support will encourage other women from different cultural backgrounds and from many walks of life to gain the courage to see that real beauty is inner beauty, and you do not need previous titles in order to gain confidence to put yourself on a national stage. Everybody starts from somewhere, and anyone can be a Miss Universe Canada, because no beauty shines bright than that of a good heart.

**bonner** Fri Jul 05, 2019 12:17 am

Tysia Suzuki

Height: 5’6
Hometown: Burnaby, BC
Languages: English, Mandarin, Spanish
Occupation: Student at Shanghai Jiao Tong University (Chinese Language and Culture)

Tysia Yu Shuen Suzuki is a recent medical school graduate who hopes to lend her voice to the community as an advocate for health, sustainable nutrition, and international relations.

Born in Richmond and raised in Burnaby, British Columbia, she moved to Herstmonceux, England after high school to study at the Bader International Study Centre, the UK campus of Queen’s University. She was accepted the following year to Fudan University, Shanghai Medical College – one of the top medical schools in China – for a demanding 6-year medical program. Tysia graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree and made the decision to diverge away from clinical medicine to instead promote the importance of lifestyle choices and preventive healthcare. Additionally, she completed a certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from eCornell, the online learning platform of Cornell University. She feels that this path will allow her to make a difference in nutrition, environmental health, and mental health. Tysia actively volunteers as a health education guest speaker and provides Chinese public hospital language and service interpretation. She volunteered with a Chinese preschool as an early childhood instructor and wishes to help ensure that every child has the same opportunity to learn with full health. She is very humbled by the fact that she has already been able to share health-related messages to those otherwise not exposed. And she hopes to continue on this positive trajectory of health education and support.

Tysia has spent the past several years studying and traveling around Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Her father, who is of Japanese and Chinese heritage, immigrated to Canada from Taiwan when he was ten years old, and her mother was raised in a mixed European-Canadian Mennonite household. Her early family life shaped much of her understanding of both eastern and western cultures, and her life abroad reaffirmed the importance of strengthening international cooperation for a brighter and healthier future. Currently, Tysia is a linguistic student at Shanghai Jiao Tong University where she is testing at the highest level of reading, writing, and oral Mandarin. In her spare time, she likes to teach herself Spanish and does health research. She is grateful for the opportunity to have had such a unique education and wishes to globally educate youth on how to take charge of their health and nutrition.

From her early piano-playing days to her international singing performances, she has witnessed the power music has for bringing people together. She became an active member in choirs and musical performances, going on to volunteer with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai as a performer for multiple sports and business-related events. In 2012, she successfully auditioned and placed top 10 at the Chinese National Tibetan Folk Singing Competition in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. She has also hosted a Mandarin travel show aimed at promoting sustainable tourism and has been a commercial model. Tysia was honored to have been invited to participate in a Roundtable Luncheon with the Former Governor General of Canada, His Excellency, the Right Honourable David Johnston and other dignitaries during their state visit to China in 2013. She hopes to use her expat life experiences to help facilitate new opportunities for advocacy of and aid in health and wellness issues.

Pageants are a new experience for Tysia, but she is excited for the chance to represent her country. Her charisma, openness, and stage experience will assist her in utilizing this opportunity to inspire and empower women everywhere to strive to achieve their goals. Tysia is thrilled and grateful for the opportunity to share the stage with such strong, intelligent, and beautiful Canadian women. Becoming Miss Universe Canada 2019 would be an honor – one which she would fulfill with dignity and pride.

**bonner** Fri Jul 05, 2019 12:19 am

Svetlana Mamaeva

Height: 5’11
Hometown: Maple, ON
Languages: English, Romanian, Russian
Occupation: Associate Technical Account Manager

Svetlana is a recent business graduate, a model and a young professional in the energy industry. She was born in Republic of Moldova and moved to Canada to pursue her education. She recently graduated with honors from one of the leading business programs in Canada at Schulich School of Business. Svetlana is also completing a graduate certificate program in Business Communications at Harvard University. She balances her studies with working in the energy sector as an Associate Technical Account Manager.

In addition to her career and education, Svetlana volunteers her time for several charitable organizations. She has been involved with the Canadian Cancer Society for three years and held various leadership roles for the largest volunteer led breast cancer event in Canada. She also had several speaking engagements to promote awareness and community involvement for this cause.

Finally, Svetlana has over 15 years of modelling experience and participated in numerous fashion shows for Canadian and international designers. She also competed in pageants on the national and international level from a young age. Before moving to Canada, Svetlana successfully represented Republic of Moldova at an international pageant where she placed as the first runner up. She is working towards the opportunity to represent Canada with the same determination and passion.

**bonner** Fri Jul 05, 2019 12:26 am

Kara Granger

Height: 5’9
Hometown: Chilliwack, BC
Languages: English
Occupation: Self-employed

Kara Granger is a self-made, entrepreneur and philanthropist from Vancouver with a passion for beauty and fashion. She owns and operates a luxury power women’s suit line “ Kara Louise Collection “ and recently expanded her in store beauty line “ Duchess Luxury”. Her passion project is her 6 year old charity group ”The Karebear Community “ which raises awareness and funds for existing non for profits across Canada as well as creating worldwide giving initiatives. Kara has travelled to China 11 times and recently finished up her global reign in Beijing as Miss Globe. This year Kara’s platform will be focused towards inspiring others to find their charitable passion as well as focusing on resources that help people move on from their traumatic past.

**bonner** Fri Jul 05, 2019 12:27 am

Elisha Jolly

Height: 5’6
Hometown: Toronto, ON
Languages: English
Occupation: Volunteering

Elisha Jolly was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario; she still resides in Toronto, Ontario currently. Elisha strives to be a proud Canadian Citizen, while always putting her best foot forward and leading with integrity. She graduated from Centennial College in April of 2018 with honours in Social Service Work and Indigenous Studies: First Peoples Stories. Although this may not be the direct path Elisha chooses to pursues in her life, the wealth of knowledge she gained from her studies opened her eyes about Power, Privilege and Oppression on the micro, mezzo and macro level within a society. Elisha continues to explore alternate avenues through volunteering and taking courses that interest her; she is not ready to settle just yet in a specific career, however she hopes to excel in the business world. She has an undeniable passion for learning anything and everything, because knowledge is power, and whatever she pursues she is prepared to do it with determination, hard work and above all passion and love.

This is Elisha Jolly’s first time ever competing in a beauty pageant; it is a big step forward for her as she has always had an interest in modeling and acting. Elisha can be described as humble, patient, strong, confident, and rather clumsy at times; she is without a doubt hilarious with a very bubbly addictive personality. She has no shortage on friends or meeting new people, as people are attracted to her charisma. Elisha is a very earthy person, she supports global warming in reducing her carbon footprint by driving an environmentally friendly electric car, and also she is an animal lover as she has three cats and two dogs and would love to open an animal shelter one day! Health and fitness is very important to Elisha, she eats at least one green fruit or vegetable a day religiously.

Elisha has been through many trials and tribulations as child, an adolescent and a young adult, she uses self-reflection and mediation often to understand the unfortunate events that occurred throughout out the different phases of her life, this is her mechanism for release of negative lingering feelings that only would hinder her success. Elisha comes from a family riddled with cancer and mental health, unfortunately her brother one year older then her was diagnosed with drug induced schizophrenia at 19. Elisha is capable of understanding and relating empathetically to other families going through the same thing from beginning, middle and ending stages of this illness. She donates $25 a month to CAMH foundation and remains hopeful for a break through with such a complicated intricate brain illness.

Elisha has an abundance of support from family and friends. She would like to bring a heightened awareness to mental health, sexual harassment, and the vulnerable groups within society, such as, children, youth, single pregnant women, and elderly people. She believes young people today is what will shape our society in the future and we need to instil proper education, programs, and guidance to withstand adverse impacts to which they are exposed to on a daily basis. Elisha Jolly believes that her experiences gave her the back bone she needs to fight for what is right and advocate for the voices not heard, her personal values and beliefs gives her strength, and empowers her to commit to this journey, and be the best person she can be, she is ready to represent Canada in Miss Universe 2019 competition.

**bonner** Fri Jul 05, 2019 12:29 am

Alyssa Boston

Height: 5’8
Hometown: Tecumseh, ON
Languages: English
Occupation: Marketing

Alyssa Boston is an ambitious, confident and innovative woman who strives to break barriers in the workplace and advocate for mental health awareness. Raised in Tecumseh, a small town in Southwestern Ontario, Alyssa’s family has always supported her unconditionally and motivated her encouragingly, which has provided her with a solid foundation. In conjunction with her inner strength and belief that she can pursue her dreams, Alyssa continues to reach for the stars in all her endeavors.

Alyssa attended the Odette School of Business at the University of Windsor and graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree. She focused her studies on sports management, marketing and advertising. Her academic path set the precedence for a busy lifestyle, as she currently balances three jobs while incorporating daily fitness regimes and maintaining social relationships. Alyssa is employed as a member of the marketing team for the company, Muscle Cars and Classics, waitresses at a local restaurant and works as a Community Living companion for those who suffer with mental illness. In collaboration with her sport’s experience as a youth and utilizing sports’ business as her core studies, Alyssa finds pleasure in challenging herself in male-dominated activities and roles. With her current employment in the car industry, she hopes to demonstrate that women, if they choose, can integrate and excel in these male-dominated careers.

Alyssa has been very fortunate to grow up with the opportunity to get involved in many extracurricular activities. At a young age she developed a passion for sports, primarily playing both soccer and hockey. Aside for these sports, Alyssa participated in gymnastics, cheerleading and dance. Apart from her athletic ability, Alyssa has a creative side. She took lessons in piano, singing and drawing, attempting to use these skills wherever she can. Moreover, Alyssa uses her creative mind towards costume design and art. She has originated and constructed national costumes for herself at Miss Eco International and Miss Supranational and for the titleholder of Miss Global Canada.

Alyssa’s greatest passion is pageantry. At the age of 17, she tested the waters for the first time in her hometown pageant. This experience opened a new chapter in her life, intriguing her to explore the industry. Her entry in the Miss Universe Canada Western Ontario preliminary pageant in 2014 led her to compete at the national level. She moved forth to compete and win the title of Miss Swimsuit Canada in Montreal, Quebec and place in the top 20 at the international finals in 2016.

Captivated by the multifaceted components of pageants, Alyssa’s curiosity inspired her to take on other roles in the pageant industry. During this time, Alyssa’s talent was recognized as she was selected to represent Canada in Cairo, Egypt at Miss Eco International 2018. Her competitive nature sparked her desire to participate, thus to resume her role as a contestant. Alyssa eagerly applied to compete at Miss World Canada 2018, where she placed first runner up, winning the title of Miss Supranational Canada 2018. This victory provided her with the incredible opportunity to represent Canada in Poland at the 10th anniversary of Miss Supranational.

Pageantry to Alyssa is two-fold. This experience has helped her grow into a strong, confident woman and has given her a platform to advocate for mental health awareness. Her uncle suffers from a mental illness called Schizophrenia. She learned early in life what effects mental illness can have on a person and an entire family. Alyssa has grown to understand the importance of taking care of one’s mental state as one would care for their physical health. With an active hand in the Canadian Mental Health Association and her platform on social media, Alyssa, who advocates for this cause, created #TalkAboutME in which she works to educate people about the importance of understanding mental health. She encourages individuals to share their personal stories and keep the conversation going.

**bonner** Fri Jul 05, 2019 12:34 am

Medina Bandalli

Height: 5’9
Hometown: Edmonton, AB
Languages: English
Occupation: Psychologist

With a Masters Degree in Psychology and over seven years of education at the Undergraduate and Graduate level, Medina is a Provisional Registered Psychologist who is ready to represent Canada on the world stage. Being the youngest Psychologist in her field, her first goal was to complete her educational aspirations and be professionally secure in her career by age 25. Now, Medina is ready to take on her next goal of Miss Universe Canada.

When she isnt working with clients, Medina instructs spin classes at a local spin studio. Her passion for fitness led her into instructing, however more importantly it has encouraged her to lean in opportunities that challenge her.

Having been an elite athlete in competitive gymnastics for eleven years, her passion for athletics has continued to be a central aspect in her life. Growing up Medina played on her volleyball, soccer, and basketball team, and was a sprinter and jumper on her track and field team. Now, she continues to feed her fitness passion through basketball, spin, and yoga. Not only has fitness and athletics been her safe space, it has also provided her with the experience of being in the public eye. Competing athletically and instructing fitness classes has made public speaking and engaging with audiences her norm.

With her parents migrating from East Africa to Canada, Medina was always encouraged to not only travel and experience the world, but to learn about, appreciate, and immerse herself in other cultures. Medina had the opportunity to live and study in Australia for a year, and travel to Brazil, Costa Rica, Uganda, and Kenya (to name a few). Competing in Miss Universe Canada gives her the opportunity to share with others, what living in Canada has given and taught her.

Having worked and volunteered for non-profit organizations, donating time and knowledge by sitting on boards, and being a representative and brand ambassador for foundations, Medina advocates for the importance of contributing to causes greater than yourself. She values inclusivity, empowerment, positive change, and is determined to represent these values on an international stage.

Although her ambition has pushed her to seek out opportunities to continuously grow, her friends, family, and community, and the support and encouragement they provide is what has helped her to succeed. Connection, people, and community play a large role in Medina’s life, which is she values her her friends, family, and community above anything else.

Medina believes that life will continuously happen around us- the good and the bad. Although we don’t always have control over what happens, we can control a few things that can shift our world dramatically: our reaction, our mindset, and who we choose to surround ourselves with. It is with this mindset that Medina has succeeded academically and professionally with her education and career, physically during her elite athletic career, and personally with friends, family, and strangers that she connects with. Her intention with participating at Miss Universe Canada is to be her authentic and genuine self to show how far you can go by just being yourself. Proving that although hard work and drive are two ingredients in success, being kind to yourself and others will make the success worth it. Through her involvement with the Miss Universe Canada pageant, she hopes that by leading by example of being authentic, it can help advocate similar values in others. She hopes to advocate on behalf of mental health awareness, specifically reducing shame associated with seeking support from friends and family or from a professional.

With her confidence, her drive, and her ability to connect, along with her education, experience, and values – Medina is determined to represent Canada as Miss Universe Canada 2019.

**bonner** Fri Jul 05, 2019 12:39 am

Aiona Santana

Height: 5’5
Hometown: Ottawa, ON
Languages: English, French, Spanish (Native), Dutch (Native)
Occupation: Student at Carleton University (Bachelor of Music and Minor in Arts Management)

Aiona Santana was born in Leuven, Belgium and moved to Ottawa, Ontario, Canada when she was 12 years old. Due to her parents being of Venezuelan descent, she spoke Spanish at home and Dutch at school, she considers both languages her mother tongue as she learned them at the same time. Being of such an international background allowed her to be integrated into different communities and learn about distinct cultures from a very young age. She has travelled all around the world and applies this knowledge into everything she does. Aiona is entering her third year at Carleton University where she is studying a Bachelor of Music and a Minor in Arts Management. She is very passionate about her studies and aspires to be an example for any young women pursuing a career in the entertainment industry. She hopes to show them that anything can be achieved if you work hard for it.

From an early age, Aiona Santana set out to become a performer and professional singer. Natural ability will only take a talented artist so far, but a strong will and determination has helped push this artist forward and continues to drive her development and success. She knows what hard work is and never hesitates to prove it. Her studies at Carleton University provide her with the knowledge she needs on every aspect of music. She is also studying a Minor in Arts Management which is the business side of the entertainment industry where she is pursuing her passion for marketing. With both these fields combined, Aiona is determined to create her own record label in the future where she will recruit different kinds of artists and produce their music. Throughout the course of her musical career, Aiona Santana has won over the hearts of music lovers from all walks of life. Performing at a variety of venues, making dozens of appearances, all the while recording new singles. She has performed at local events such as the Tulip Festival, participated and received trophies at the Kiwanis Festival, and many more. Aiona Santana has earned the admiration and affection of countless fans, serving as both an inspiration and role model.

She has also completed a lot of charity work with the following organizations: HOLAS (the Humanitarian Organization of Latin American Students), Relay for Life, the International Fund Initiative, UNICEF Canada, Peace of Mind Canada, and Anges D’Aide Humanitaire. These humanitarian initiatives have inspired Aiona to work on her own projects in order to raise funds for many charities, her goal in life is to use her art and platform to support different causes. Aiona believes that as humans it is our duty to help others in need and use our talents for a good cause.

Modeling and acting have always been an important part of Aiona’s life, she was signed to AMTI (Angie’s Models & Talent International) in 2018 and immediately her modelling career took off. She completed many photoshoots with different photographers around Ottawa and the GTA area which has not only given her experience in front of the camera, but it also allowed for her to completely step out of her comfort zone and embrace the person she is. Aiona has been acting since she was 7 years old, she followed acting classes from a very young age and studied in the dramatic arts program at a specialized arts high school in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Being at this school for four years, she performed in numerous theatrical plays and studied the dramatic arts in depth. Shyness in front of the camera is not something Aiona has, she has completely embraced her talents and is able to take on any challenges that come with it.

For being only 19 years old, Aiona Santana has worked very hard towards her goals and continues to do so. She competed at the Miss Canada Latina pageant last summer 2018 and placed as the fifth finalist, this not only sparked her love for pageants, but it also inspired her ability to make a change. Hard work ethic, passion, drive, and ability are all attributes Aiona possesses. Her combination of knowledge of the world, passion for humanitarian aid, and performance experience are all aspects that will help her succeed. She is ready to take on the Miss Universe stage, proudly represent Canada, and give it her all.

**bonner** Fri Jul 05, 2019 12:43 am

Madi Lacey

Height: 5’7
Hometown: Britt/Parry Sound, ON
Languages: English
Occupation: Director of Marketing & Head of Client Services

Though her real name is Madison, this fun-loving 21 year old has always gone by the shortened version “Madi”. Madi Lacey was raised in the hamlet of Britt, Ontario – about an hour north of Parry Sound, a town she also considers home. She has always taken pride in where she comes from, and does her best to be involved in her community.

Madi’s dedication to the betterment of her community is obvious in her humanitarian efforts, with extensive volunteer contributions since she was 11 years old. As an active volunteer for numerous organizations throughout the years, her most notable accomplishment was organizing a charity walk – the BIG Britt Walk – which raised $82,000 ($50,000 by herself) over a five year period for the for Britt Area Nursing Services (BANS). As a result, she was nominated for the Ontario Junior Citizen of the Year Award in 2011 and recognized with the Ontario Volunteer Service Award in 2013. Madi continues to volunteer as much as possible and is always looking for opportunities to become more involved.

Madi has taken on more responsibility within her family’s business, and in addition to her roles as store manager and Director of Marketing, has recently been promoted to Head of Client Services at Wright’s Marina Limited. She loves having the ability to curate lasting, positive impressions and relationships with clients and is constantly striving to improve their experience. Madi has may ideas that she is excited to implement in the coming boating season. In the future, Madi hopes to finish her diploma in Pre-Service Firefighting and pursue a second diploma for paramedic.

This will be Madi’s second pageant, having just competed in the 2019 Miss North Ontario Regional Canada Pageant this past May. Despite her lack of pageant experience, Madi placed in the Top 15, and was recognized with three awards in addition to being chosen to move on to the Miss Universe Canada pageant. Madi brought home sashes and crowns for her excellence in Pageant Promotion, Scholastic, and for being an Ambassador of NOFCC (as the top fundraiser for the pageant charity). She was also a finalist for the Entrepreneur award, awarded to the delegate with the most sponsorship. Her first pageant experience was an incredible learning and development opportunity, and Madi has no doubt that MUC will be just as beneficial. She is optimistic, and feels confident that she we be able to represent herself and her community with grace. Her platform is PT

**bonner** Fri Jul 05, 2019 12:44 am

Carmelle Martinez

Height: 5’9
Hometown: Brampton, ON
Languages: English, Filipino (Tagalog), Filipino (Bisaya)
Occupation: Audit and Tax Reporting Professional

Carmelle Nathalie Martinez was born and raised in Tago, Surigao del Sur, Philippines and moved to Brampton, ON when she was 14 years old. She graduated in June 2018 with a degree in Bachelor of Business Administration; with a specialization in Accounting, from the University of Guelph-Humber in Toronto, ON. She was the recipient of the Gold Medallion for Leadership Excellence Award for her ongoing leadership contributions within her campus community during her undergraduate studies. Carmelle currently works for Deloitte Canada in London, ON, which was her dream company, because she has always wanted to work for a global leading firm that would effectively support her professional development while also making an impact within her community. Carmelle is analytical, deliberate, and passionate about gender equality, anti-discrimination, inclusivity, and female empowerment. These strengths have helped her succeed in her current role as an Audit and Tax Reporting Professional, and other previous roles within the finance department as well as being a mentor in her alma mater’s community. She hopes to attain her Chartered Professional Accounting designation in the near future.

Since moving to Canada, she has met so many inspiring individuals who have motivated her in every aspect of her life. Canada has helped her become open-minded, because of its incredibly diverse community. Her passion for cultural integration derives from her experience working with people with different cultures. Hearing stories of first-generation Canadians with the same goal as her and her family inspired her to expand her network, so she can reach out to others to offer mutually beneficial support. The hardships that her parents went through while struggling to find their first jobs to simply be able to financially support her family motivated her to aim high professionally, and to also be kind and generous to others. Carmelle hopes to one day be in a position where she can provide equal opportunities, especially to new Canadian immigrants.

In countries like Canada, every citizen can make opportunities happen by simply supporting one another. Her educational background in business has allowed her to find unique and creative ways to improve situations that deserve attention. She believes that by making use of Canada’s diverse community, it will help inspire others to build a strong sense of open-mindedness. She was extremely involved in all the schools that she attended, but now Carmelle wants to take it to another level by being involved in her community through different platforms including beauty pageants. In 2016, she competed at the Miss Progress International 2016 in Puglia, Italy and represented Canada with her advocacy on aboriginal women’s rights. Carmelle realized that by participating in beauty pageants, it provides women like her to have a platform where she can start dialogue about situations that deserves society’s attention. By driving awareness to topics such as gender quality, anti-discrimination, inclusivity, mental health, and female empowerment, the community will continue to strive to become more progressive.

Carmelle’s passion for the various societal issues and drive to make a difference in the world has made her into the independent and confident woman that she is today. She hopes that with her participation in Miss Universe Canada 2019, she will inspire others to continue pursuing their dreams, while also making a difference in the world. Her extracurricular activities, previous pageant experience, community involvement, and leadership experiences motivate and strengthen her to continue pursuing her own dream of becoming the next Miss Universe Canada.

**bonner** Fri Jul 05, 2019 12:47 am

Cephra Hasfal

Height: 5’6
Hometown: Brampton, ON
Languages: English
Occupation: Business Marketing Student

Cephra Rose was born and raised in Brampton, Ontario to Jamaican / Chinese parents into a family of seven. Growing up in a large and diverse family, she has always felt a deep longing for her own sense of individualism amidst an extremely talented family. With interests that were fairly foreign and out of the box, Cephra was always seeking new and exciting life experiences and tended to surrounded herself with a wide circle of friends from various backgrounds and walks of life.

Cephra currently resides in Windsor, Ontario, where she is pursuing a degree in Business Marketing.

Battling anxiety and depression through most of her teenage years up into young adulthood, she struggled with finding a sense of purpose and identity in the world. Through rooting her identity in her Christian faith, she was able to overcome both, also coming to the understanding that this life wasn’t simply about her, but a greater purpose, bigger than she could ever imagine. This sparked the desire to want to reach others with similar mental struggles by encouragement through a living hope. Cephra has always strived to apply these principals by getting involved firstly in her home, inner circles, and community before furthering that outreach.

Since the age of 21, Cephra felt it was on her heart to begin an online ministry in order to be more proactive about her vision. She is currently in the process of launching her own ministry that will focus on the everyday vain pursuits of this generation that deprive them of finding true identity fulfillment. Through the ministry, she hopes to inspire young girls and women to be the best versions of themselves in order to sustain beauty from the inside out. Other causes that are near and dear to her heart include issues of poverty, mental health, human sex trafficking and social & religious persecutions.

Cephra is extremely grateful for the opportunity to be part of this year’s Miss Universe Canada competition, as it brings her one step closer to bringing her vision to life. She hopes this platform will enable her to partner with organizations that have a similar vision, allowing her to be a voice for those who don’t have one.

In a society that promotes self-indulgence, she wants to be a reminder that it is okay to love ourselves and strive to be better, but let’s make sure our souls are beautiful, too.

**bonner** Fri Jul 05, 2019 12:51 am

Raman Sawhney

Height: 5’4
Hometown: Calgary, AB
Languages: English, Punjabi, Hindi
Occupation: Reservoir Engineer, EIT and Project Manager

Raman Sawhney is from Calgary, AB and graduated from Queen’s University with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Chemical Engineering. Following graduation in 2017, Raman began a career with an international E&P company that exploited reserves from the largest onshore oilfield in continental Europe. Working in both the head office and in the oilfield in Albania as the only woman, she quickly learned about the different areas of the business from production to sales. She is current working as a Reservoir Engineer, EIT and a Project Manager for Fracture Modeling Inc. (FRACMOD), a start-up consulting firm aimed to help companies with technical decision-making and reservoir characterization. As an entrepreneur, she is continuing to build her technical skills while also deepening her business acumen through client interaction, marketing, and customer satisfaction.

Raman is a huge advocate for women and STEM education. As Miss Calgary 2019 and the director of her non-profit organization, Apar Initiative, she believes that empowering young women to explore different opportunities without limits or bounds is important in our growing and evolving world. Furthermore, her work as the Acumen Manager of Young Women in Energy, Engineers Without Borders, and Engineering for Kids solidifies her commitment to the cause. She takes opportunities to speak at conferences and career development symposiums to help spread awareness and learn through these experiences.

Knowing the importance of a good work-life balance, Raman builds health and wellness into her life through different activities. She is an avid runner has played basketball and soccer competitively growing up. She also does Bhangra dance – a high energy Punjabi folk dance – and spent time as a choreographer and instructor with her university team and her own business, respectively. Raman is a committed community leader who has a vision to inspire, influence positive change, and be a role model for people from all different backgrounds and walks of life.

**bonner** Fri Jul 05, 2019 12:53 am

Karema Batotele

Height: 5’9
Hometown: Ottawa, ON
Languages: English, French, Swahili
Occupation: Engagement and Communication Officer

Karema Batotele is an Engagement and Communication Officer working for the federal government of Canada. She was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo during a period of war that killed over 60 000 people. Karema understands what it means to be a child and to have no control over the things that are happening around you, especially in the midst of violence. Miss Batotele wants to work with children in order to transform this generation and the ones to come through education in hopes that the future generations will not repeat the atrocities of violence, whether that is violence against those who are different or even violence against themselves.

Her passion for children’s education lead her to create her Own Organisation. Karema Batotele is the Founder and CEO of Education Beyond Limitation (EBL), a Canadian based organization that helps children around who come from low income families have easier access to their education. Her Organisation travels to developing countries and provides a range of support such as, school supplies, classroom renovations, furniture and much more. Karema’s organisation helped over 200 children in the world in school supplies. Her passion for the education of the youth is also reflected in the art of writing. She is also the Author of Limitless, a children’s book that aims to inspires and educate children, promoting self-identity and self-esteem, reminding children that they are limitless and can accomplish anything, regardless of their race, gender or culture.

Karema’s dedication and efforts have been recognised by the Former Governor General of Canada David Johnston, Mayor of Ottawa Jim Watson as well as Ottawa’s Deputy Mona Fortier. Karema has also been cited by Radio-Canada as a role model for the youth.

**bonner** Fri Jul 05, 2019 12:55 am

Sara Winter

Height: 5’10
Hometown: Duncan, BC
Languages: English
Occupation: Golfer

Determined, ambitious, and hard working are all qualities that describe Sara Winter. She feels passionate about empowering women to pursue their goals, and wants to show the diversity we have in today’s society. As a hard working athlete competing against professional golfers on a mini tour, along with representing Canada twice on the international stage, in 2012 and 2014, she realizes how stereotypes influence many, but is determined to break the stigma that beauty pageants are given, and strives to demonstrate that we should never set limitations for ourselves.

Sara attended York University as a honour roll student where she was earning her Bachelor of Science, although she believes that education is crucial, she also feels that life is to short to not fulfill your passions. Taking a risk, she decided to take time off her studies, to pursue her dream. Golf can be a very male dominated sport, and it may feel intimidating for women. Sara saw how she could be a role model for young girls, and make a positive impact. For example, she is a top ambassador for a company called FOREher Sports, where they connect, educate, and inspire women on and off the golf course. Sara’s dream is to earn her LPGA tour card one day, but along the way if she can help grow the game and get more women and children involved, that feels just as rewarding.

At 15 years old Sara signed her first international modelling contract with an agency in Seoul, Korea. Quickly maturing and learning how much pressure women have to look a certain way, she struggled to feel like she was enough. This incident drove her to enter Miss Teen Canada 2011, where she earned Miss Photogenic. After experiencing the deeper meaning of beauty pageants, Sara used her platform to volunteer at Girl Scouts: an organization helping young girls overcome self esteem issues, and Kids Now: an organization that comforts cyber bullying victims. Both issues she dealt with growing up , and felt her relatable approach would be helpful to others.

Sara naturally has a passion for travelling, and feels intrigued to learn about new cultures. Opportunities through modelling and pageants have allowed her to travel , which has opened her eyes to many issues across the world. She aspires to help the youth succeed to their full potential, and achieve their dreams. For example, being a social influencer for a kids golf clothing company, where she got to encourage today’s youth towards their goals, and act as a role model. Although this is just a small gesture, Sara believes that regardless of what struggles you may be facing, having someone believe and support you can go a long way, and she hopes to put together many more projects in the future across the globe.

Sara’s athleticism, determination and positive mindset, make her a unique contestant and an even more relatable role model. Having represented Canada at SuperModel International 2012, and Top Model of the World 2014, give her the experience and confidence she needs to thrive and make Canada proud on the Miss Universe stage.

**bonner** Fri Jul 26, 2019 2:55 am

Jacqueline Wojciechowski

Height: 5’8
Hometown: London, ON
Languages: English, Polish
Occupation: Student at Western University (International Relations)

Jacqueline Wojciechowski is a first generation Canadian born and raised in London, Ontario Canada. Her parents Mariusz and Ania Wojciechowski came to Canada in the early 1990’s from Poland, both with a vision of providing a brighter future for not just Jacqueline and her sister Sandra, but also for others by fostering over a dozen children in the past 17 years. Mariusz and Ania still to this day are foster parents and remain pillars of strong family values in both so many children’s eyes but also in the community. Jacqueline and her sister Sandra Wojciechowski have had so many foster brothers and sisters, it has been such a learning experience from each relationship and a blessing being part of such a strong family unit. By getting to share such a unique experience, she has found a fondness for helping children and hopes to bring awareness in any way that can benefit a child who needs a home.

While on her educational path of obtaining a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations at Western University, she strives to find a career that will help bring cultures and families together. Jacqueline currently works as a Medical Office Receptionist as well as teaches Polish folk dance for the last 6 years and is an active member in her Polish community. One of the most cultural influencing aspects of her life revolves around dance and Jacqueline feels it truly is the universal language. Her involvement with Cracovia (a Polish folk dance group) has allowed her to not only learn and instill the rich Polish dance history in her community’s children, but has also allowed her to travel and perform in Europe.

Jaqueline has travelled to numerous countries, each one giving her insight and knowledge of how different societies and cultures function, sharing the joys and differences that are the very essences of life. These interactions have fueled Jacqueline’s dreams to become an ambassador of not just our great nation, but of our universe.

Jacqueline is no amateur when it comes to the pageant stage. As a former Miss Canada Globe 2013 who continued to be the first Canadian to win Miss Globe 2014, she knows what the pageant life is all about. The strength and determination that each contestant on any stage must endure is tremendous, and Jacqueline is ready to show what raw, sheer intrepidity she has in her path for the crown.

For Jacqueline the crown represents every woman. It represents a dream of progression. It represents a step forward for what hard work and certitude that women strive for every day. Women have fought for so long, so hard, and women are changing the world now more than ever!

**bonner** Fri Jul 26, 2019 3:03 am

Tiyana Cackovic

Height: 5’8
Hometown: Hamilton, ON
Languages: English
Occupation: Entrepreneur

Tiyana Cackovic was born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario. Being from a big Croatian family, having strong family relationships and spending quality time with them has always been very important to her. From a young age she has always had a passion for the arts. Always attending various theatre camps, such as The Great Big Theatre Company, & when performing in front of her family, this is where her interest in the entertainment industry grew.

At 12 years old she was signed to a modeling agency in Toronto, Ontario. She got right into doing various jobs such as four Book Covers and Family Channel commercial spots. Throughout the years Tiyana has stayed involved with the dramatic arts & was cast in her High School Production “Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre”. A role of a washed-up Rockstar intended to be for a man, & that she decided to audition for anyway and got the part! Always driven and focused she entered CMTC. The Canadian Model and Talent Convention, placing 1st in Runway and 2nd in Swimsuit. After her first time attending the convention, Tiyana landed a modeling Contract in Taipei, Taiwan for three months. She was able to explore a new culture, & learn and develop new personal skills on this adventure. Although incredible, the experience was very eye opening and led her to where her hearts dreams and desires lie.

Coming home Tiyana decided to move to Toronto and channel her focus more on her craft as an Actor. She has attended various classes around the city including Second City & Armstrong Acting studios, where she studied worked her way up to being invited into the Masterclass Level. With this knowledge she created an Acting program for kids back in her hometown at Studio E Music & Arts School. While living on her own in Toronto and working in the service industry to pay for rent and volunteering as a camera operator at Armstrong Studios to help compensate for classes, Tiyana learned the importance of having to mindfully live your life. As an Actor she’s learned that you need be able to be yourself while stepping into a different reality, and in order to do that you need continue to have various life experiences. This is when she realized she had an eye & long love for Fashion and discovered her interest in Graphic Design and Branding. She has plans on attending school to further her curiosity, knowledge and skills as it has become a new realized desire to own her own company in the future.

Tiyana’s main goal is to create a platform in which she can inspire the youth and especially the young women to fiercely go after life. That there isn’t a conventional or traditional way to discover your passions and that you can indeed have more than one passion. That who you are isn’t defined on any one thing you do, but the multiple experiences that make you who you are. She wants to spread the message that “Life is a Journey” and encourage people not to fear, but to take that journey. She believes that God has a plan & purpose for everyone and keeps that at her centre core.

**bonner** Fri Jul 26, 2019 3:07 am

Samantha Stokes

Height: 5’8
Hometown: High Prairie, AB
Languages: English
Occupation: Instructional Assistant

Born and raised on a cattle ranch near High Prairie, Alberta, Samantha Stokes has been immersed in the strong morals and values the western way of life has to offer for as long as she can remember. Her western roots and passion for agriculture opened many doors at a young age to this 23-year-old Alberta woman.

Samantha has currently completed two years of her Bachelor of Education Degree. She plans to complete her degree and further her studies in the fields of Equine Therapy and Animal Assisted Wellness. Samantha plans to open a facility to develop programs targeting children with disabilities, mental health and life coaching. Samantha actively works on educating herself in these areas and has recently completed the most widely used, acclaimed and researched suicide prevention training in the world.

By 19 years of age, Samantha had won three professional Rodeo Queen titles, including the coveted title of Miss Rodeo Canada in 2016. This small-town farm girl was one of the youngest to ever be crowned and completed over 1000 volunteer appearances across Canada, the United States, Australia and Holland during her three queen reigns. As the Official Ambassador for the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association, Samantha enjoyed representing her association and country with dignity and grace.

She thoroughly enjoys volunteering closely with organizations who promote the personal development of young women. For the last three years she has sat on the Board of Directors for the Miss Rodeo Canada Pageant encouraging young women to follow their dreams and become the best possible versions of themselves. This desire to motivate young women ignited early in her teenage years and has led to Samantha to her role as a pageant coach and motivational speaker to many young women and youth groups across Alberta. Her ambassador roles also led her to model for several different companies across Canada and the United States.

Always striving for a greater understanding of other cultures, Samantha has travelled to ten beautiful countries in pursuit of what sets her soul on fire. In 2018, she completed an International Business Tour across the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary.

Samantha believes that becoming Miss Universe Canada is both an honor and a privilege to never be taken lightly. This patriotic, born and raised Canadian woman believes you would be granted a once in a life time opportunity to represent a strong country of freedom and acceptance. She looks forward to the endless opportunities to inspire youth while continuing to instill strong morals and values to all those her cross her path during this journey.

**bonner** Fri Jul 26, 2019 3:08 am

Lisa Naveed

Height: 5’6
Hometown: Calgary, AB
Languages: English, Hindi, Urdu
Occupation: Student at Mount Royal University (Psychology, Bachelor of Arts)

Lisa Naveed emigrated from Pakistan to Canada at the age of 13 and is a proud Canadian citizen living in Calgary. She has completed her secondary education and is currently enrolled as a Psychology student at Mount Royal University. She is working with Numa Network as a model and has a part time job at Sephora as a skin care consultant/specialist. Lisa is also very passionate about her health and fitness level as she occasionally practices kick boxing and strength conditioning exercises. Her passion also continues to excel in the realm of modelling and academics. She also plans on working as a brand Ambassador for skin care brands in the future.

Growing up, Lisa struggled to maintain an acne free skin, which sparked her passion for skin care and a healthy lifestyle. As a skin care consultant she motivates many customers that struggle from similar skin care problems. She is now a certified cast member for doing facials at her store and helps clients find their personalized skin regimes. Lisa evokes confidence and reassurance in them that they are beautiful regardless of their skin condition.

Her first year in Sephora, she was offered an opportunity to compete for a feature in magazine representing Giorgio Armani’s new line of fragrance. Upon taking this opportunity and doing a photoshoot for it, she discovered her talent for posing and being confident in front of camera. Two years later, she signed with a mother agency – Numa network, in Calgary Alberta. Since then she has matured as a person and as a fashion/commercial model. Lisa works hard on her modelling skills and is fully determined to pursue the acting and modelling industry. Her modelling career so far, has allowed her to become a social media influencer, as she continues to gain audience that love her content and inspiring personality. Lisa’s confident style and personality has continued to appear onto multiple magazine profiles including Skye, Portfolio Global, Rizing and Style Cruz Magazines.

Upon winning the title of Miss Universe Canada 2019, she plans on becoming a spokesperson for young women around Canada. Her goal will be to inspire others to come out of their comfort zone and purse their dreams without the pressures and stereotypical norms given by society today and ultimately make Canada proud.

**bonner** Fri Jul 26, 2019 3:12 am

Moulika Sharma

Height: 5’3
Hometown: Brampton, ON
Languages: English, Hindi, Punjabi
Occupation: Project Coordinator and Health & Safety Captain

Moulika Sharma was born in India, raised in both India and Canada, and is now a proud Canadian Citizen living in Brampton. She graduated from University of Guelph, in Bachelor of Engineering Honours program major in Environmental Engineering. Currently, she is working as a Project Coordinator and Health & Safety Captain for GHD Ltd. She is a member of GHD’s Canadian Environmental Due Diligence Group and provide Infrastructure Ontario project support and technical expertise through environmental knowledge and processes. She also provide support of due diligence including Phase I and Phase II Site Assessments, fieldwork investigations (air, soil, water sampling), Class Environmental Assessments for various sectors (public and private), municipal work projects, active/abandoned industrial and commercial facilities. As GHD’s Safety Captain, she assists and supports GHD’s Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) group at the local level.

From volunteering as a tutor to motivational speaker and researcher, Moulika is able to achieve any goal regardless its scale. Besides having an academic career, she has a sporty personality and enjoys weight training with a combination of intense cardio and yoga. She is an adventurous soul and enjoys trying new things out of her comfort zone. She did the CN Tower edge walk which is the world’s highest full circle hands free walk on a 5ft wide ledge encircling the top of CN Tower’s main pod (1168ft above the ground). She believes “to be beautiful means to be yourself” and hopes to inspire the youth, raise awareness, and contribute to humanity.

**bonner** Fri Jul 26, 2019 3:13 am

Lesley Seitz

Height: 5’4
Hometown: Surrey, BC
Languages: English
Occupation: Library Assistant

Lesley Seitz is a passionate tennis player, baker, singer, and charcoal artist who enjoys reading books by J. R. R. Tolkien, J. K. Rowling, and Kiera Cass. She has achieved a Library and Information Technology diploma from the University of the Fraser Valley in Abbotsford, BC, and now works as a Library Technician at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. Lesley has lived in British Columbia her entire life and is interested in pursuing an education towards Teacher Librarianship, which will lead to a full-time Teacher Librarian position within an elementary school library.

Lesley believes the lack of proper libraries in Canadian education systems needs to be addressed. Participating in Miss Universe Canada 2019 offers Lesley the opportunity to bring awareness to this important initiative. After visiting, and volunteering, at several schools and comparing the libraries within these schools, she has come to realize that access to knowledge entirely depends on budget. Schools with limited budgets are unable to provide students with certain experiences, which can only be achieved through a proper library.

Lesley is a passionate supporter towards the Love of Reading Foundation, which provides aid to elementary school libraries across Canada, and is focused on drawing awareness to the work the Love of Reading Foundation is currently doing in Canadian communities. To be able to assist with aiding elementary schools across Canada, is an honor for Lesley since books, and other forms of information access, have had a positive impact on her life.
Lesley hopes to enhance the lives of young people by providing them with the ability to access books within their school systems, and to improve access to education and literature for Canadian students.

**bonner** Fri Jul 26, 2019 3:20 am

Alexandra Yuan

Alexandra was born in China and moved to Vancouver, BC with her family when she was 16. She graduated from the University of British Columbia with a major in Economics in May of 2019. As a model, beauty blogger and an aspiring fashion designer, Alexandra has traveled across the globe, meeting and learning from a myriad of both diverse and likeminded people.

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