About Us
What is Pageant Professors?
Pageant Professors is a site that reveals the ins and outs of the pageant industry while exposing the secrets necessary to be successful in the field. Our content is exclusive and incredibly unique – a combination of personal anecdotes and innovative teaching technologies. With a combined experience of over 35 years at all levels of competition, Teen, Miss and Mrs., the Pageant Professors draw on their lessons learned to teach young women how to go from missing the mark to making the grade.
Prita Kohli
Co-Founder
Pageant Experience:
Miss District of Columbia International 2012 (titleholder)
Miss Sacramento Teen 1999, Miss Sacramento USA 2002, Miss District of Columbia USA 2008 (Top 10), Miss Maryland USA 2009 (Best in Evening Gown Award)
As Miss District of Columbia International 2012, Prita spends much of her time furthering her platform entitled “She Should Lead”, which encourages and empowers girls and young women to attain leadership roles in both their schools and their communities. She is passionate about bridging the gender gap that currently exists in government and would like young women around the world to have a stronger voice in influencing the political process.
Prita has been an avid pageant fan since childhood following the Miss USA, Miss Universe and Miss World pageants religiously. She competed in and won her first pageant at the age of 16 when she became Miss Sacramento Teen and from then on she was hooked. Prita first competed at the state level at Miss California USA and continued her pageant career when she moved from California to Washington, D.C. to pursue her other love: American politics. Prita has leveraged the public speaking and communication skills learned throughout her pageant career to gain a foothold in the political scene. Currently, Prita works in government affairs for the health care industry. Prita graduated from American Public University with a degree in American Politics.
Trivia:
Hidden talent: Video game ninja
Favorite movie: The Sweetest Thing
Favorite inspirational quote: “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
Worst pageant mishap: Pretty much everything I did at the Miss California USA 2004 pageant counts as a “mishap”; pumps during the swimsuit competition, wearing an evening gown that hadn’t been tailored and perhaps worst of all – not bringing along a single pair of false eyelashes. Tragic.
Favorite Titleholder(s): Aishwarya Rai (Miss World, 1994) and Crystal Stewart (Miss USA 2008)
Prita can be reached at prita@pageantprofessors.com
Nicole Ortiz
Co-Founder
Pageant Experience:
Miss Delaware International 2012 (titleholder), Miss Maryland United States 2009 (titleholder), Miss United States 2009, Miss Maryland USA 2009 (Top 15), Miss Maryland USA 2008 (Best in Swimsuit Award)
Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, Nicole is thrilled to be representing the state of Delaware at Miss International 2012. In addition to promoting the system’s national platform, the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement, she will continue to advocate for her personal platform, “No Body’s Perfect.” Having overcome anorexia and bulimia herself, educating the community about eating disorders and destructive decisions is a very personal endeavor.
In 2005, she graduated from the University of Maryland College Park with a degree in Accounting and in 2009, she obtained her Masters of Business Administration from Loyola University Maryland. She is currently the Director of Finance of a child-serving non-profit organization. In the future, Nicole hopes to use her business savvy to become an Executive Director of a state pageant.
Trivia:
Hidden talent: Knitting
Favorite movie: Clueless
Favorite inspirational quote: “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams”—Eleanor Roosevelt
Worst pageant mishap: The gold chain details on the side of my swimsuit bottoms broke after prelims at Miss Maryland USA 2009 (Lesson learned: Pack two swimsuits just in case!)
Favorite titleholder: Brook Lee (Miss USA 1997 & Miss Universe 1997)
Nicole can be reached at nicole@pageantprofessors.com
Allison Brenner
Co-Founder
Pageant Experience:
Miss Maryland USA 2004 (Top 5), Miss Maryland USA 2005 (Top 15), Miss Maryland USA 2009 (Top 15), Mrs. Scottsdale United States, Mrs. Arizona United States (1st Runner Up), Mrs. Sonoran Desert America.
Allison or “Allie” is happily married to her husband Mark with a baby daughter named Reagan. She loves participating in Mrs. pageants because being a mommy doesn’t mean you have to give up your extracurriculars!
In 2006, Allie graduated Summa Cum Laude from Loyola University Maryland with a degree in Economics and a minor in French. She briefly cheered in the NFL before moving to Arizona with her husband in 2008. Raising a daughter, working part-time for a financial services consulting firm, and staying involved in pageants certainly keeps her busy on a day-to-day basis.
Trivia:
Hidden talent: Being super nice to mean people
Favorite movie: The Little Mermaid
Favorite inspirational quote: “Whether you think that you can or that you can’t; you are usually right.” -Henry Ford
Worst pageant mishap: Too many to count. I had a gown that was two inches too short because I changed my shoes last minute.
Favorite titleholder: Shandi Finnessey (Miss USA 2004)- who can forget that open mouth smile that won her the crown.
Allison can be reached at allison@pageantprofessors.com
