The State competitions of Miss USA 2019 are already underway with 26 American beauties already crowned or appointed. JoEllen Walters was crowned Miss Alaska USA 2019 on 5th August 2018, which means she will be representing Alaska in Miss USA 2019 to be held next year.

JoEllen is a graduate and has completed her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from the University of Alaska Anchorage. She is 24 years of age, her hometown is in Anchorage and she is currently working as a teacher, teaching 1st-grade students.

By winning the pageant, JoEllen wants to become a spokesperson of the issue that is very close to her heart, which is the disposal of prescription medicine. She is currently focusing on opioid abuse and the safety of the environment. JoEllen wants to educate people on how to dispose of prescription medicine without causing harm to the environment, an idea that she got when her grandmother, who suffered from a foot injury, asked her how to dispose of the medicine that she did not require any more.

Upon winning, JoEllen took to her social media to announce the news and wrote, “Sometimes when things take longer than you thought they would, it’s just a gentle reminder that you have more time than you thought and that there’s a journey to enjoy. I’m ecstatic about this journey to Miss USA and the opportunity to represent the most beautiful state!”

JoEllen wishes to empower women and help them become confident. She also wants to show the world that beauty that is Alaska. JoEllen has a very unique advocacy and therefore will stand out during the finale of Miss USA 2019.